New Study Links Exposure to Anti-Drug Messages to Reduced Marijuana Use Among Teen Girls

This week, R. Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, released the following statement regarding a recently released, independent research study that found that ONDCP's National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign is effective in reducing drug use among girls:

"These findings are the latest indication that this drug education campaign is effectively reaching and resonating with youth in local communities across the Nation. Teenage girls face unique social pressures and vulnerabilities that can lead to the initiation of substance use. Research shows that drug and alcohol use - which can be tied to self-esteem issues, depression, and peer pressure - have a more profound physical and psychological impact on teen girls. Now more than ever, it is imperative that the community-based 'Above the Influence' campaign continues to receive the funding it needs to keep our young people safe, healthy, and drug-free."

The research, published in the American Journal of Public Health in March, linked greater exposure to ONDCP's Above the Influence campaign to reduced drug use among young females. Specifically, the study found girls to "be especially receptive to Above the Influence's anti-drug messages about achievement and living life above negative influences."