ANTI-DRUG CAMPAIGN MISLEADS YOUTH CULTURE

While it is beneficial for society to become aware of the dangers of
certain drugs, the public should never receive false information concerning
those substances. Advertisements should be truthful and never mislead their
audience.

The recent anti-drug campaign depicting parents who learn their young
daughter has become pregnant, citing them as "the youngest grandparents in
town," lends itself to scrutiny. The commercial implies the young girl's
pregnancy resulted from marijuana use and her life therefore, has been ruined.

By attempting to convince young people that using marijuana can lead to
pregnancy, the commercial is misleading its viewers. There is no
correlation between marijuana use and unwanted pregnancy, and the
implication that a connection exists is nothing more than a cheap scare tactic.

It is time the government and anti-drug organizations cease attempts in
scaring children away from drugs with exaggerations and false associations.
The youth of America, now more than ever, must be exposed to the truth
regarding drugs and alcohol so they are capable of making an educated
decision. American children will inevitably be confronted with the
possibility of drug use, regardless of where they live or who they hang out
with. They must have the information necessary to consider the possible
effects. Presenting young people with an overdramatic scene that is clearly
ridiculous will do nothing to prevent drug use.

Instead, anti-drug campaigns should show the real nature of drug use and
addiction, rather than sensationalized stories. Movies and other forms of
media showing the users' withdrawals along with addicts in and out of
clinics and rehabilitation centers are more efficient in spreading the true
dangers of drugs. Anti-drug campaigns should do the same by documenting
real life addicts. After seeing a drug user's lifestyle and how affected
they are by drug use, young children can judge for themselves whether or
not they want to dabble in drug experimentation.

By adding a line at the end of a commercial, saying the pregnancy was
caused by marijuana does not get the message the campaign intended across.
If the creators of the campaign want to prevent children from smoking
marijuana, they need to present fact, not fiction. The only sensible way to
possibly prevent drug use is to show the real risks and horror stories.

It is difficult to believe every young girl who tries marijuana would end
up ruining her life by becoming pregnant as the campaign suggests. There is
definitely a drug problem in the United States, but scaring children with
false consequences and ideas is not a practical method in solving the crisis.