Media reports on illicit drugs “reduce acceptability and increase perception of risk” among young people, study finds

Mainstream media reporting is far more likely to deter young people from using illicit drugs than encourage their use, a new Australian study has found.

But the study also found that types of reports most likely to have the strongest impact on young people − those on social and health consequences of drug taking − were underrepresented in the media.

Key points

The study, Media reporting on illicit drugs in Australia: Trends and impacts on youth attitudes to illicit drug use, is available here.

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