This Is My Brain on WHAT?!?

♠
Watching cable news last evening, I saw the wave of stories about new studies concluding that those government commercials shooing kids away from drugs do not work. It is suggested that kids actually find the commercials encouraging, because it projects a picture of drug-use being common and hence popular.

They aired the old commercials, and it made Monk feel nostalgic. Those commercials somehow feel like part of his growing up, or his coming of age. We are talking about the ones using eggs, 'This is your brain. And this is your brain on drugs.' Sizzle, sizzle! As well as the later variations, including the cute, busty brunette in a tight t-shirt smashing a frying pan around the kitchen.

One might think that declaratory messages coming from on high would not work so well in the world of teens. We know that they are just trying to keep us down, and we just want to be free and have some fun. Peers rule!

Nevertheless, it is striking how much of an impression such a relatively small advertising campaign can have. It is a part of our lives, something we have shared in common, and made fun of together.

Anyway, I thought I'd also include a John Tierney column from a few days ago, contrasting the situation in America with our War on Drugs against the situation in the Netherlands and its liberality. Maybe we really just need more freedom and fewer wars.

( Tierney column )

xXx

This Is My Brain on WHAT?!?

♠
Watching cable news last evening, I saw the wave of stories about new studies concluding that those government commercials shooing kids away from drugs do not work. It is suggested that kids actually find the commercials encouraging, because it projects a picture of drug-use being common and hence popular.

They aired the old commercials, and it made Monk feel nostalgic. Those commercials somehow feel like part of his growing up, or his coming of age. We are talking about the ones using eggs, 'This is your brain. And this is your brain on drugs.' Sizzle, sizzle! As well as the later variations, including the cute, busty brunette in a tight t-shirt smashing a frying pan around the kitchen.

One might think that declaratory messages coming from on high would not work so well in the world of teens. We know that they are just trying to keep us down, and we just want to be free and have some fun. Peers rule!

Nevertheless, it is striking how much of an impression such a relatively small advertising campaign can have. It is a part of our lives, something we have shared in common, and made fun of together.

Anyway, I thought I'd also include a John Tierney column from a few days ago, contrasting the situation in America with our War on Drugs against the situation in the Netherlands and its liberality. Maybe we really just need more freedom and fewer wars.

( Tierney column )

xXx