The National Illicit Drugs Campaign, which commences today, is initially directed at encouraging parents to talk with their children about illicit drugs, as part of a community wide effort to prevent illicit drug use amongst future generations of Australians.
The campaign is a nationwide community education and information initiative, with the overall aim of preventing young people from experimenting with illicit drugs in the first place by teaching them about the dangers of drugs and by promoting a healthy family life. Under the Tough on Drugs strategy, $27.5 million has been allocated for community education and information purposes.
The theme for part one of the campaign is; 'Our strongest defence against the drug problem . families', and it recognises that families are the key to ensuring young people have a positive influence in their lives that can help them to resist drugs.
Part one of the campaign will run for eight weeks, and consists of:
? an information booklet to be mailed to every household providing information on illicit drugs and on how parents and children can talk with each other about drugs.
? three television commercials including the centrepiece 'lost dreams' advertisement which graphically shows the consequences of young people using illicit drugs. These advertisements will be screened across the country from tonight.
? newspaper advertisements and billboards supporting the messages of the campaign.
? an information and support network where families can get further advice and assistance.
The research conducted for the campaign showed that a majority of young people are willing to talk to their parents about drugs. Over 70 per cent of young people also reported that parents could influence them not to use drugs.
However, the research also found that many parents do not feel confident in communicating with their children about the dangers of illicit drugs. In order to overcome this barrier, part one of the campaign aims to provide accurate and helpful information for parents.
Importantly, the campaign is also based on evidence that young people respond to boundaries that are set for them by their parents. Setting down ground rules so that children, and in particular teenagers, know where they stand on the issue of drugs, although sometimes difficult, demonstrates to young people that their parents care about them.
The campaign will convey to parents the message that if they don't speak to their children about drugs, they can be sure that their children will hear the wrong message from someone else.
The second part of the campaign, which is to follow at a later stage, will target young people.
The campaign also recognises that families cannot shoulder the drug education effort on their own. The support of schools, doctors, community organisations and the wider community is vital if we are to successfully educate young people about the dangers of drugs.
Therefore, this initiative is about encouraging families and the community as a whole to pull together to prevent young people turning to illicit drugs in the first place.
I would particularly like to thank the members of the Australian National Council on Drugs who have worked on the development of this programme.
I urge all Australians to support this important campaign.
25 March 2001