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Above the Influence

Above the Influence is an advertising campaign in the United States by the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign that advocates against recreational drug use, focusing explicitly on cannabis use by American teenagers. The program's primary medium is television advertisements, but it also makes use of others such as online web banners.

Criticism

Some of Above the Influence's methods of relaying its message to the audience have come under question by some. This may be due to Above the Influence's often heavy reliance on fictional stories to advocate it's purpose, which some feel unfairly demonize cannabis users.

Paul Armentano, Deputy Director of NORML wrote an article about Stoners in the Mist , a recent ad campaign. Funded by the Office of National Drug Control Policy, the campaign feature cannabis users unable to perform even the most basic tasks such as moving, talking, bathing, and even recalling one's own name. Armentano has called the films "offensive" and "derogatory" for the use of stereotypes and quiz "chock-full of disinformation.

National Institute on Drug Abuse has reported federal anti-drug ads as ineffective, often causing increased drug use . In addition many ad campaigns are very expensive. The Office of National Drug Control has spent 1.5 billion and plans to spend another 1.3 billion by 2010.

Students for Sensible Drug Policy, which focuses on harm reduction, opposes federal Anti-Drug ads and details the increasing problems with the campaign .