OTTAWA – Yesterday, the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, launched the latest youth drug prevention television ad, which is part of the Government of Canada’s National Anti-Drug Strategy mass media campaign entitled ‘DrugsNot4Me.’
“The launch of our Government’s new television ad is timely, as this week is National Addictions Awareness Week,” said the Hon. Laurie Hawn, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence. “This ad campaign shows that we are on side with parents, and they have our Government’s support in dealing with the temptations of drug use.
The television ad, entitled ‘Mirror’ is targeted at teenagers ages 13 to 15, which is an age group that has limited knowledge of the dangers associated with illicit drug use.
The ad focuses on the harmful physical and social effects of drugs, and shows youth how experimenting with them can ultimately lead to lifelong addiction. The ad drives youth to the DrugsNot4Me ( www.drugsnot4me.ca ) website which contains youth-friendly, up-to-date information on the effects of illicit drugs, as well as content and resources that help teens say ‘no’ to drugs.
The ad will air on teen-focused channels and programming between November 15, 2010 and March 20, 2011. It will be complemented and supported through interactive Web banners on teen-focused portals and websites, Facebook ads, as well as interior transit ads featured on buses, trains, and subways across Canada. In addition to promoting the DrugsNot4Me website, the ads will also drive teens to the DrugsNot4Me Facebook® Fanpage that includes additional relevant and interactive information and applications on illicit drugs. The Fanpage also acts as a forum where youth can engage with their peers on the topic of drug prevention.
“This edgy new campaign effectively demonstrates the devastating effects of drug use on teens and exposes the facts and risks involved in drug use” said Laurie Hawn, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre. “The Facebook page is another important measure to ensure the information is interactive and in a readily available medium for today’s youth to access”
For more information on the National Anti-Drug Strategy, please visit: www.nationalantidrugstrategy.gc.ca