Pompidou Group Conference “Families, lifestyles and drugs - reaching families in prevention” Porto, Portugal, November 2007 Concept for new TV format: The upcoming Italian Information Campaign: parents and drugs Maurizio Coletti

Every year (since 1994) the Italian government has launched a national, mass media Information Campaign about drugs Past campaigns have dealt with important aspects of drug abuse and supplied various messages. In general they were all directed at youths and adolescents

Some of them concentrated on providing dissuasive messages Others stressed the risks connected to specific behaviours and the use of substances, Others suggested more responsible behaviour for the use of substances in special contexts like discotheques and rave parties. Some campaigns developed through advertising on television Others were accompanied by information designed to reach young people directly in their social environment

New media campaign for 2008: addressed to adults, particularly to parents Decision: after the detailed study of the results of media campaign carried out by NIDA, showing how ineffective recent US Government campaigns had been at reaching and dissuading the main target groups of young people and children* Same study has been proven that messages reach and are retained by adults* * Evaluation of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign: 2004 Report of Findings

Contractor’s National Evaluation Did Not Find That the Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign Was Effective in Reducing Youth Drug Use 2006 GAO - Report to theSubcommittee on Transportation, Treasury, the Judiciary, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations, U.S. Senate

suggest proper and useful behaviour to those parents who have (or think they have) children who use or abuse drugsThe main goal of next Italian campaign is to suggest proper and useful behaviour to those parents who have (or think they have) children who use or abuse drugs

Dealing with the subject of drugs with adolescent children is often extremely complicated and difficult. Often parents complain about the lack of adequate information and detailed support. It is easy that their worry can quickly turn into anxiety, disputes with wild accusations on all sides, excessive guilt, conflict, and lack of dialogue are produced In short, the operation turns out to be a total failure

underestimate the situationIt also happens that some parents underestimate the situation and fail to intervene In this case too, the result is negative because the care-givers waive the possibility of educational intervention that would help to avoid greater risks if correctly planned out and organised

reinforce the parents’ role do not minimise the situation, nor react with unnecessary dramaThe important thing is to reinforce the parents’ role and help them to understand how useful it is to act in the correct manner, making sure that they do not minimise the situation, nor react with unnecessary drama

Additional feature of the campaign will be its local, regional focus Information about free-phone telephone numbers will be provided for parents to call

Main goals for phone operators: 1.Pay attention to the worries expressed by the parents; 2.Offer general information on the subjects of adolescents and drugs; 3.Assess the situation presented and, if need be, indicate local support and treatment centres

1.Welcoming parents directly main goals : 2.Reassure the parents 3.Support the parents 4.Propose some other further step: involving the adolescent (if possible), design a treatment

A new challenge for treatment centers Develop programmes, strategies or techniques for helping parents in the case of relatively light drug use Involve parents in motivating to treatment their children Involve parents in the same treatment

Thank you Maurizio Coletti mcolettisolidarietasociale.gov.it