cannabisnews.com: Anti-Drug Messages Clouded in Smoke?





Anti-Drug Messages Clouded in Smoke?
Posted by CN Staff on February 27, 2003 at 07:57:16 PT
By Brian McNeill, Editor in Chief 
Source: Collegiate Times 
Smoking marijuana funds international terrorism and leads to such horrors as date rape, manslaughter and accidental shootings of children. This is the message put forth in the Office of National Drug Control Policy’s ongoing advertising campaign.The only problem, said experts in economics and illegal drugs, is that the message in the ads isn’t quite true. When looking at the facts, said Nicolaus Tideman, an economics professor at Virginia Tech, one quickly realizes the alleged link between terrorism and marijuana is just a bunch of smoke.
Al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations receive little money from drug sales — particularly marijuana, Tideman said.Most of the money from marijuana sales instead goes to South American drug organizations, he said.Violence is certainly connected to the drug trade, Tideman said, but that violence is not inherent in the drug — it’s inherent in the drug’s illegality.Because drug dealers have no legal recourse, stealing in the drug underworld is often met with violence. That makes a pretty good case, Tideman said, for decriminalizing drugs.“The problem is caused by criminalization,” he said. “A well-structured society would provide a legal opportunity for those that sell drugs.”The advertisements say buying drugs supports this violence. However, it’s more likely that the bulk of the money goes more toward the logistics and maintenance of the illegal drug organization, Tideman said. Violence is bad for business and drug dealers have to be paid exorbitant amounts to take the risks associated with the trade, he said. Plus, not all marijuana comes from outside the nation’s borders, Tideman said.“It seems to me that a lot of people grow their own marijuana,” he said.In fact, Tideman joked, it seems these ads are encouraging drug users to grow their own.The advertisements’ allegations that marijuana leads to date rape and deadly accidents are based on the drug’s ability to impair judgement.That is a well-documented effect of the drug, said Kerry Redican, a Tech professor who specializes in drug education. Marijuana, however, is not the only substance that impairs judgement.“Alcohol can impair your judgement, Benadryl can impair your judgement and so can zillions of other drugs,” Redican said.Alcohol is statistically proven to be more dangerous than marijuana because high-risk behavior such as driving drunk is much more likely, he said.Furthermore, alcohol — not marijuana — is the substance most closely associated with date rape.The ads draw conclusions that really aren’t there, Redican said.“They’re trying to connect dots that don’t really connect,” he said. “It’s almost a ‘Reefer Madness’ kind of thing.”In one ad, a stoned teenage driver unwittingly runs over a pedestrian. In another, two boys high on marijuana play with a gun and one is shot. In another, a teenager molests a girl because smoking pot has impaired their judgement.These scenarios, Redican said, are possibilities but are in fact extremely unlikely.Marijuana addiction is a theme running through several of the campaign’s print advertisements.“Don’t be fooled by popular beliefs,” the ad says. “Research shows that marijuana use can lead to addiction.”Redican said he has seen little conclusive evidence that marijuana is physically addictive, though up to 10 percent of marijuana smokers do have trouble limiting their use.Ironically, one of the ads urges parents to ignore the “propaganda” about smoking marijuana.The sketchy data and unlikely scenarios presented in the ads are a prominent example of unethical advertising, said Matt McAllister, a communication studies professor who researches advertising.The anti-drug spots use a common advertising tactic called “puffery,” or making exaggerated claims about a product, McAllister said.Using “puffery” in public service announcements can effectively spread untruths, he said, because the public assumes PSA’s are going to be honest.“This isn’t just, ‘you should buy a Coke,’” he said. “This is dealing with a serious social issue.”The Marijuana Policy Project, an organization devoted to erasing the stigma attached to marijuana smoking, has created ads parodying the government’s anti-drug ads. They will begin running today in Washington, D.C.In one of the parody ads, two men discuss whether buying marijuana funds terrorism. One says the marijuana trade may support violence because marijuana is illegal, while, “If I buy a beer, that doesn’t support terror, because beer is legal, right?”The other agrees and the first man concludes, “So what you’re saying is if we make marijuana legal and regulate it like beer, it wouldn’t support violence.”The commercial ends with the tagline “Marijuana prohibition. Harmless?”Source: Collegiate Times (VA Edu)Author: Brian McNeill, Editor in Chief Published: February 27, 2003Copyright: 2003 Collegiate TimesContact: comments collegiatetimes.comWebsite: http://www.collegiatetimes.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Marijuana Policy Projecthttp://www.mpp.org/Anti-Pot Ads Deceive Youthhttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15587.shtmlGroup Spoofs Marijuana-Terrorism Link Ad http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread15574.shtmlWhy Kids Ignore Anti-Drug Ads http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread13085.shtml 
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Comment #4 posted by druid on February 27, 2003 at 11:09:50 PT
NORML and MPP
I think there is/was/has been some bad blood between the 2 organizations. If my memory servers me correctly, Rob Kampia of MPP used to be part of NORML but split ways with them because he didn't like their strategy. I don't think the parting was a friendly one.MPP and NORML appear to be working more closely these days as they should. I believe all activist groups should work together as closely as they can. I don't think they should ever merge or anything like that because they are both able to sustain on their own and more groups that can sustain themselves on the platform legalization or drug policy reform the better.from http://www.journalism.umd.edu/cns/wire/1996-editions/11-November-editions/961122-Friday/Kampia_CNS-UMCP.html
 Three days after he graduated with honors with an engineering sciences degree, Kampia began working for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws in Washington as chapter coordinator. But Kampia and several other employees clashed with the major marijuana advocacy group over strategy.He and Thomas left NORML Jan. 18, 1995, and formed the policy project one day later. Their departure was messy enough to require lawyers, and both sides say they are legally prevented from speaking badly of the other.Kampia "didn't leave under the best of circumstances," said NORML deputy director Allen St. Pierre.Green, who worked with Kampia at NORML and left with him in January 1995, describes the conflict candidly. "NORML was running a social group, not an organization for political change," she said. Here is another article from bbsnews talking about it.
Oh the Politics of Drug Policy Reformhttp://bbsnews.net/reformpolitics.html
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Comment #3 posted by michael on February 27, 2003 at 08:58:00 PT:
Bulk Bull
  It's always been this way and always will eh?   I can't remember where I heard this quote, but for me it says it all. " If you get caught with your pants down, pull them up and lie about it." Bulk lies are our way of life when it comes to our government officials, and the dishonest ways of ALL of those in politics are the result of their power and not their brains! So sad eh? 
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Comment #2 posted by darwin on February 27, 2003 at 08:44:58 PT
MPP is really getting notice.
I just donated to MPP, as I am pleased with the ad capmpaign and hope to see it continue. They seem to have more credibility in Washington than NORML. I just wish NORML, MPP, and all the others would consolidate their efforts, resources, and their message.
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Comment #1 posted by TroutMask on February 27, 2003 at 08:17:49 PT
Stupidity
I am amazed at how clueless the "people" in the ONDCP can be. I can't imagine anyone with average or greater intelligence watching any of these anti-pot ads and thinking "wow, this will really slow marijuana use".Do the ONDCP folks all drink heavily or take other (legal) mind-altering drugs on the job? Do they get disqualified to work for ONDCP if their IQ is too high? Is there some sort of group amnesia within the organization?Maybe it's just a huge "emperor wears no clothes" situation; a huge organization of "yes men" who do nothing but brown-nose and kiss butt, saying "oh yes, that's a great idea" to every question from their superiors when in reality they see how stupid things like these ads really are. Or maybe it's just plain blind desperation; realization that the war is long lost and can never be won, worldwide opinions and actions signal impending marijuana law reform, their jobs are going away, they have to do SOMETHING for the CHILDREN, ANYTHING is better than NOTHING.I don't know what it is. It's both sad and funny to watch them bumbling so, one step forward and two steps back. But I wish we could just end it all and move on. Legalize today!-TM
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