John O'Mahony (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 30: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she will provide the necessary funding for a media campaign highlighting the devastating effects of illegal drugs on the lives of young people, which would involve parents and relatives of drug addicts or drug addicts themselves modelled on the advertisement sponsored by the Road Safety Authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15577/08]

Mary Wallace (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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National public information and awareness campaigns on drugs are undertaken by the Health Service Executive (HSE). In planning the public awareness campaign for 2008 it was decided that the focus would be Cocaine. The aim of the Campaign is to dispel the myths around Cocaine and Cocaine use. It was seen as imperative that this Campaign would ensure that all National, Regional and Local Stakeholders, would be connected into the National Campaign. The composition of the Campaign Advisory Group established by the HSE was aimed at facilitating this.

Specific funding of €500,000 is also being provided through the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs to the Regional and Local Drugs Task Forces for local campaigns to link into the National Awareness Campaign. The Social Marketing function of the HSE Population Health Directorate is working with the National Advisory Committee on Drugs to support the roll-out of these local Campaigns.

It is important to note from a social marketing perspective that the most successful information and awareness campaigns are driven by measurable objectives informed by analysis of the target audience, and guided by proven theories and models of behaviour change and that they should be implemented with creativity. Strengthening the links between National and Local Public Awareness Campaigns on Drugs should assist in this process and bring benefits for all those involved.