Why Didn't The 'Just Say No' To Drugs Campaign Work?

Posting Date: 07/20/1999

Daria: You have spoken of a study that said denying children cookies made them want more cookies. I was reminded of Nancy Reagan launching her "Just Say No" (to drugs) campaign years ago.

A friend told me that at the time studies were going on at UC Berkeley that proved that "Just Say No" was going to increase drug use among young people. She said that the anti-drug campaigners "just said no" to the studies.

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Dr. Dean: Just telling people "no" is not a motivator.

I know of a study of two groups of high school athletes. One group was told to "Just Say No" to steroids because they were bad for them. The other group was told about why people use steroids and what their risks and benefits are.

Well, a year later, they found that the kids who had received balanced information were using fewer drugs than were the "Just Say No" kids.

Another case of "Just Say No" failure is an experiment on sunscreen. Researchers told one group of Australian beach-goers, "If you don't use sunscreen, you're going to fry!" Another group was presented with skincare information that recommended sunscreen.

Again, the group that had been fed a negative message, used less sunscreen than those given a positive message.

We haven't even come close to talking to kids appropriately about drugs. We have to give them the pros and the cons. Friends, if you don't know the pros of doing drugs, I will tell you. Drugs make us feel good. Okay?

When we talk to kids about the pros of drugs, our honesty gets their attention. They are then more likely to listen to the honesty about the negatives, too.

But if we just say drugs are all bad, then kids will say, "What about that beer in your hand, Dad? Why are you smoking that cigarette, Mom? How come you two smoked pot when you were kids?" and you're going to get nowhere.

Put the same honesty to work to motivate your kids to make healthy choices about sex, too.

Daria, you get an "A" for getting my point. Just as forbidding cookies doesn't work, forbidding drugs doesn't work.