Need for social marketing campaign to combat teen marijuana use

Written Assignment #3

Sara Quale

5/24/14

MPH 588/Marketing in Public Health

Lea Pounds

Behavior goals and objectivesGoals of this social marketing campaign are to inform parents about the risks of marijuana use among teenagers and to provide the tools necessary for them to share that information with their children.Through formative research, we understand that only 21% of Colorado people 12 and older perceived risk associated with smoking marijuana once a month (SAMHSA.gov, 2012). We also have seen that as the perceived risk of smoking marijuana decreases, the incidence of smoking marijuana increases (National Institute of Drug Abuse, 2013). To guide audiences toward these goals, this campaign will use the PST as well as the Personal Construct Theory (PCT). George Kelly’s PCT describes that people have unique experiences which contribute to individualized interpretations of events and decision-making (Mallick and Watts, 2007). Through the use of the PCT, respect is given to the individualized choices one makes regarding drug use. Mallick and Watts write that drug use as considered by the PCT is a person’s attempt to make sense of the future and give meaning to issues they face (Mallick and Watts, 2007). An alternative for drug education among teens is to create a sense of self-empowerment and provide the information teens need to make informed decisions (Mallick and Watts, 2007). This can be enhanced through the PST and having parents be the presenters of the information.

Behavior objectives to reaching the goal of increasing the awareness of perceived risks of marijuana smoking include:

  • Decreasing the number of teens in Colorado who report that they see no risk or slight risk in smoking marijuana regularly from 19.5% to 10%, (Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, 2011). This objective would be targeted for accomplishment from two years after the implementation of the program.
  • Increasing the awareness of parents of young children about the consequences of marijuana use by youth and increase the perception of risk associate with smoking marijuana occasionally to the national average, 21% to 32.2%, (SAMHSA.gov, 2013). This objective would be targeted for accomplishment one year after the implementation.

Specific actions to reaching this objective would include targeting parents of elementaryage students to participate in the campaign to provide information about choice to young Coloradans. The adult voters of Colorado exercised their choice to legalize marijuana, and now they can educate their children by providing information about the consequences of using marijuana as a young person. Formative research showed that marijuana use has been reported among Colorado youth as early as 8 years old (Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, 2012). This would be accomplished in conjunction with schools through workshops, media outreach and partnering with influential Colorado leaders to create normative beliefs around the consequences of marijuana use in youth. As noted in the PCT, however, it is important to respect the individual choice among teens and to provide them with the accurate information as they attempt to make choices regarding drug use.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (2011). Trends in the prevalence of marijuana, cocaine, and other illegal drug use, National YRBS: 1991-2011. Retrieved from

Fixler, K., (2014). Pot tourism: how to buy marijuana in Colorado, Fodor’s travel. Retrieved from

Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (2011). 2011 youth risk behavior survey results, Colorado Middle School Survey, Colorado Department of Human Services. Retrieved from

Kam, J. A., & Middleton, A. V. (2013). The Associations Between Parents' References to Their Own Past Substance Use and Youth's Substance-Use Beliefs and Behaviors: A Comparison of Latino and European American Youth. Human Communication Research, 39(2), 208-229. doi:10.1111/hcre.12001

Linn, A., (2012). Colorado, Washington approve recreational marijuana use, NBC Politics. Retrieved from

Mallick, J., & Watts, M. (2007). Personal Construct Theory and constructivist drug education. Drug & Alcohol Review, 26(6), 595-603. doi:10.1080/09595230701613551

National Institute of Drug Abuse (2013). Monitoring the future 2013, Teen Drug Use. Retrieved from

National Institute on Drug Abuse, (2014). Drugfacts: marijuana, The science of drug abuse and addiction. Retrieved from

Nurco, D. and Lerner, M., (1999). A complementary perspective to primary socialization theory, Substance use misuse. 34(7):99301003. Retrieved from

State of Colorado, (n.d.). List of laws, Judicial branch of the State of Colorado. Retrieved

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, (2012). 2010-2011 National survey on drug use and health:model-based prevalence estimates (50states and the District of Columbia), Retrieved from