CAMPAIGNS Government Anti-Drug Ads
Since 1998, the federal government has spent more than $1 billion on an offensive and misleading anti-drug advertising campaign run by the Office of National Drug Control Policy. But scientific studies have repeatedly shown that the Nation- al Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is not only ineffective at reducing drug abuse, but that the ads may actually increase pro-drug attitudes in teens. SSDP was part of a successful effort to reduce this funding, but since then the Youth Anti- Drug Media Campaign is fighting to get it back.country implementing an array of different policies, we have the chance to find out what truly sensible drug policy looks like.
Student Drug Testing
The federal government has recently ramped up its campaign to encourage schools to implement drug testing regimes and even offers grants to fund them. Meanwhile, representatives from drug testing companies are increasingly arranging presentations in front of local school boards to promote their products. As a result, some schools require students to submit to drug testing if they want to participate in any extra-curricular activity. Suspicion-less student drug testing has been shown to be costly, ineffective, and it breaks down the necessary trust between students, teachers, and parents.
Lowering the Drinking Age
American youth alcohol policy is a perfect example of drug policy with unrealistic expectations and serious unintended consequences. Our current policy attempts to prevent underage drinking by criminalizing youth who consume alcohol before they are 21 years old. This is the highest drinking age that exists among all countries in the world, and millions of dollars have been spent on the enforcement of this law.Yet today, more than 90% of high school seniors claim that alcohol is “fairly easy” or “very easy” to obtain, and nearly half have admitted to drinking in the past 30 days.
End Zero Tolerance
We at SSDP are working to educate the public about the failure of zero tolerance policies, their predictable, fatal consequences when directed at their target young people, and the violations of basic human rights when zero tolerance policies are enforced.
Drug Education and Counseling
Drug abuse and addiction are real problems in many schools throughout the country. Clearly, students, parents, and educators need to work together to address the problems that drug abuse presents to schools and communities. Unfortunately, more often than not, the government-sponsored programs aimed at solving these problems actually make them worse, while alienating students in the process.
Campus Change Campaign
As students on college campuses, we have a unique opportunity to take the lead in formulating and enacting alternative drug policies. With a broad network of students on college campuses across the country implementing an array of different policies, we have the chance to find out what truly sensible drug policy looks like.
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