The Partnership for a Drug-Free America is flooding TV with new anti-meth commercials. The ads fall into two categories: Ridiculously over-the-top "prevention" ads that will influence nobody. (Do they really think that people won't use meth once they see an ad claiming that meth will make you pluck your eyebrows out?) And ads clearly designed to whip-up voter hysteria for tougher anti-meth laws. How else can one explain "prevention" ads about people getting sick from their next door neighbor's meth lab, getting killed by stoned meth drivers, etc.

Both of these kinds of ads have been proven to have no impact on drug use. The Partnership and ONDCP just don't get it. Or maybe they do get it, and that's the point. Their goal isn't reducing drug use, it's demonizing drug users so that voters will clamor for more laws, tougher sentences, and more taxdollars for the Partnership and ONDCP.

I hope these drug war extremists have a change of heart some day and decide that they should actually try to reduce drug addiction, instead of using propaganda to scare voters and secure more federal funding for themselves. If they do have a change of heart, they should look at successful anti-smoking ads, which have had an impact on teen tobacco use.

Why have anti-smoking ads been so successful? They're not preachy, don't talk down to teens, and accept that teens will ultimately make their own decisions. They also don't say that smoking will make you crazy (which no teen would believe) or that smoking will kill you (which teens will not listen to either, because they're only concerned about getting through high school - not what will happen in 20 years - plus, they think they're invincible). Instead, the ads say smoke if you want to, but it's stupid. And you'll have bad breath. And don't you want to be able to run without gasping for breath? These are sensible, well-crafted ads. They're reality-based.

But, imagine if the Partnership and ONDCP made an anti-smoking ad. It would likely be of a teenager smoking in bed. Who falls asleep. And then is burned alive. Along with their younger sister. That would be their prevention message. And teenagers would reject it. So, the Partnership and ONDCP would move on to a new ad. Perhaps one that showed a teen being talked into smoking. Then the teen ends up smoking outside with the "bad crowd". Then they end up raped. Or maybe they get arrested for shoplifting because they were talked in to it by someone in the bad crowd of smokers. Teenagers would reject this ad too.

Can anyone tell us why the Partnership and ONDCP aren't stupid?

Tags: Meth, Methamphetamine, ONDCP, Partnership for a Drug Fee America.