Notwithstanding the massive anti-drugs campaigns by various Kerala government agencies, demands are being raised for making them “more contemporary” with greater appeal to the tech-savvy and gadget-obsessed new generation, which is the primary target of such drives.
There remains an impression that official campaign still largely adopts conventional methods such as posters and rallies, leaving the targeted audience mostly untouched.
Noted psychiatrist C.J. John says the media mostly used by youngsters should be capitalised for anti-drugs message. In fact, the targeted audience should be reached out to analyse the kind of messaging that could penetrate into their mindscape
“The biggest drawback of the campaign is that we are not focussing on the fact that drugs are increasingly being used for recreational purposes. Just as peer pressure pushes youngsters into drugs, we should explore the possibility of using peer influence to bring them back. Besides, popular educational apps should be used for the campaign,” says Dr. John.
Kochi-based St. Teresa’s College union chairperson Theja Sunil agrees that conventional campaign methods such as speeches, seminars, rallies, placards and posters may hardly have any impact on the young audience.
“We have to make greater use of artforms which have greater attention-grabbing quality. For instance, our union chose to organise a flash mob to observe the anti-narcotics day. The music and the dancing created an attractive atmosphere and drew in the whole college. The students were curious to know why it was being held, thus serving the purpose. Skits can also be used effectively,” she says.
Mahitha Vipinachandran, a school counsellor, says no campaign will be effective unless a value system is inculcated by parents at home and society in general. “For instance, when alcohol is normalised in a household party, then what is the point?” she asks.
P. Jayachandran, deputy excise commissioner, Ernakulam, points out that efforts are being made to tailor the awareness campaign to suit the interests of various targeted audiences, and this is not restricted to posters and rallies.
“We have been focussing a lot more on new media-based messaging by conducting a slew of competitions on social media platforms. We are also using sports as an effective tool to keep the youngsters away from drugs. Shortcomings are being addressed along the way,” he says.
