TV anti-drugs messages fail

'Important' negative effects of drugs should be highlighted

By media correspondent Torin Douglas

Anti-drugs messages on TV news programmes and soaps fail to impress young people who have tried drugs, a survey claims.

If you imply that one experiment with a cannabis cigarette will result in doom and destruction ... people will say we know that's not true

Lord Holme

They say that drug misuse is portrayed in a "one-sided" and negative way which did not bear out their own experiences, according to a report by the Broadcasting Standards Commission, Knowing The Score.

Lord Holme, the commission chairman, said it was possible to portray the negative effects of drugs realistically, without resorting to melodramatic propaganda.

He said: "If you imply that one experiment with a cannabis cigarette or one ecstasy tablet will result in doom and destruction, and you'll spend the rest of your life in a cardboard box, people will say we know that's not true - because we or our friends may have tried them.

Many teenagers are wary of melodramatic propaganda

"Equally, there are some very important and realistic negative effects to be got over.

"Instead of passing exams, or making a career for yourself, or getting a good stable circle of friends, there may be demotivation or lack of focus, the cost of drugs and lack of money, maybe the fact that you're moving in semi-criminal circles to get supplies.

"These have far more effect on young people as dissuaders than the melodramatic thing of 'one joint and it's the end of your world."

Despite this, the report says the media should not assume drug taking is a 'normal and inevitable part' of a young person's life, nor link it with glamorous lifestyles nor show how to use hard drugs.

Celebrities and drugs

Researchers questioned 170 people between the ages of 11 and 35 about their attitude to drugs and their portrayal on TV and in films.

Attitudes among the sample varied, from 'rejectors', who had never taken illegal drugs and were confident they would not do so, through the users of cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine and heroin, to 'rethinkers' who had taken drugs in the past, but had cut down or given up.

They were shown clips of TV programmes dealing with drugs - including Casualty, The Cops and news items involving celebrities and drugs - and clips from films such as Forrest Gump, Pulp Fiction and Trainspotting.

The BBC said: "We note that the main conclusion of the report is that television does not encourage or promote drug taking in any way.

"We welcome the fact that the report acknowledges that generally the BBC's coverage and portrayal of illegal drug use is responsible - and that our programmes help ensure the issues are properly debated, throughout the range of our news, factual and fiction programming.