Nice People Take Drugs Campaign Goes Global
In an unexpected new twist, Release's anti-stigma campaign, orginally intended for buses, has become a global debate, far exceeding original expectations.
Despite being withdrawn from the bus advertising it was designed for, the campaign has captured the imaginations of people all over the world, from Australia's crikey.com, to Oxford University's Ethics site.
So in terms of Release's original goal, which was to get people talking about the stimatization of drug users and drug use, the campaign has been a resounding success. Before the campaign was launched on June 1st, typing the phrase "nice people take drugs" into google resulted in only 4 hits. Now, just two weeks later, it results in around 40,000.
Release is now inviting people to download the slogan onto flashcards, and to send in pictures of themselves in front of famous landmarks.
What is important to remember is that this is not a pro-drugs message, but an anti-stigma message. It is intended to balance the biased coverage of drug use by the media, resulting in drug users being stereotyped as "bad" people, and consequently, in widespread stigma and the denial of a range of rights, from housing to medical care. All too often, this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, as people turn to crime to finance their habit and meet their basic needs.
This campaign has already reached thousands of people across the world who have responded to the refreshing approach taken to starting a debate on drugs. They realise that drug policy cannot improve until we generate a wave of discussion that brings in new ideas and reaches politicians and decision-makers. Please get involved by taking a picture of you and your friends with the slogan and sending it to Release at ask@release.org.uk or visit our website.
sir,
I visited some rehabilitation centers to do Oral Diagnosis and also did few extractions and prophylaxis to the inmates. my students too participated in educating and rehabilitating the inmates.
These people say that they used to feel insecure and would take drugs to feel high. I nitially they would feel very good and perform well too. slowly they need to increase dose of the drug. in due course they would become addicted.
Most of them complained about family problems.
Health education is very important and creating awareness is equally important at every stage. Reaching out to grass root level people is very important to eradicate these dreaded practices to minimise human suffering.
Thankyou for creating platform to express myself. many problems need to be a ddressed.