"There is a clear correlation between exposure to anti-drug ads and the decisions teens make regarding drugs," said Ed Keller, CEO of RoperASW. "With a relationship this strong, it's evident that working to boost the number of teens who see or hear anti-drug messages on a daily basis can help drive down drug use."
The data are drawn from a nationally projectable study of 7,084 teens across the country. RoperASW, a leading global marketing research and consulting firm, collected and analyzed the data and found that compared to teens who see or hear anti-drug ads less than once a week, teens who get a daily exposure to such messages are:
- 38 percent less likely to have tried methamphetamine (8 percent vs. 13 percent)
- 31 percent less likely to have tried crack/cocaine (9 percent vs. 13 percent)
- 29 percent less likely to have tried Ecstasy (10 percent vs. 14 percent)
- 14 percent less likely to have tried marijuana (38 percent vs. 44 percent)
- 8 percent less likely to have tried any illicit drug (47 percent vs. 51 percent)
Anti-Drug Attitudes Stronger
The RoperASW study found that in several instances, teens who see or hear anti-drug ads "every day or more" have significantly stronger anti-drug attitudes than teens who see or hear those ads less than once a week. Compared with their peers who see or hear the ads less often, those who are exposed to these ads on a daily basis are:
- 17 percent more likely to see great risk in using marijuana regularly (63 percent vs. 54 percent)
- 11 percent more likely to see great risk in using methamphetamine regularly (81 percent vs. 73 percent) - and 11 percent more likely to see great risk in even trying methamphetamine (51 percent vs. 46 percent)
- 11 percent more likely to see great risk in using Ecstasy regularly (78 percent vs. 70 percent)
- 50 percent more likely to say the ads have made them less likely to try or use drugs (48 percent vs. 32 percent)
"Time and again, national research has shown a clear relationship between perceptions of risk and actual drug use," said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America (PDFA). "Attitudes drive behavior, so while no one is going to suggest that anti-drug ads alone can solve the drug problem, the numbers tell us we should be doing all we can to make sure more kids are getting daily doses of research-based, credible drug education messages."
"The data show only one out of two teens nationwide seeing or hearing these messages daily," Keller said. "There's every reason to believe a continued focus on broad and effective anti-drug advertising ultimately will have a significant positive impact."
"When done correctly, anti-drug ads can have an impact. The data released today adds to a growing body of evidence that proves the point," added Pasierb.
Source: RoperASW News Release.
