National Drugs Campaign 2007: Evaluation of Phase Three: April 2008
The National Drugs Campaign was designed to educate and inform young people and their parents and about the negative consequences of illicit drug use. Phase One of the campaign, launched in March 2001, targeted parents of children aged eight to 17 years and gave them the tools and the confidence to discuss drugs with their children. Phase Two, launched in April 2005, was directed at preventing young people from using drugs. Phase Three, launched in August 2007, targeted the use of cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines among young people, and continued to provide parents with information to talk with their children about illicit drugs. Phase Three also introduced advertising and information materials which addressed use of the more potent form of methamphetamine known as ‘crystal meth’ or ‘ice’.
The primary target audience of the Phase Three NDC was young people aged 13-24 years, and the secondary audience parents of 8-17 year olds. Quantitative evaluation research was carried out with these audiences following the completion of Phase Three. Findings are summarised below.
Key findings
- Approximately two in three parents (67%) felt the Phase Three NDC had made it easier to talk to their children about drugs, with 47 percent claiming to have discussed drugs with their child as a result of seeing the campaign. Compared to September 2000, prior to the inception of the NDC, the Phase Three NDC evaluation found that more parents felt ‘no drug taking is ok’, more felt ‘very confident’ they can prevent their child using illegal drugs, and more had discussed illegal drugs with their child ‘in the last two months’.
- Seventy-eight per cent of 13-24 year olds felt the campaign had influenced what they did or thought about illegal drugs, including resolving to think more about illegal drugs and the consequences of their use, to avoid their use or to receive confirmation of a pre-existing negative view of drugs or a choice not to use them. Fifty-nine percent felt the campaign had made it easier to talk with their parents about illegal drugs.
- The Phase Three evaluation found that, compared with September 2004 (prior to the Phase Two NDC), fewer 13-24 year olds exhibited positive perceptions of marijuana, ecstasy and speed and more associate these drugs with mental health problems such as aggression, depression and paranoia. There has also been a decrease in the proportion of 13-24 year olds ‘at risk’ of accepting a friend’s offer of marijuana, ecstasy or speed during this time.
The full Evaluation Research Report is available in PDF format:
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