To fight addiction, emphasize looks not health

That's what the state of Oregon found, reports The Economist:

The history of drug education programmes in America is largely dismal. Prodded by the federal government, teachers stress the dangers of marijuana, which are occasionally (and implausibly) compared to those of cocaine and heroin. Teenagers are told that crack cocaine is highly addictive, which sounds to some like a challenge. When it comes to methamphetamine, though, out come pictures of "meth mouth"—the rotten teeth caused by heavy use. This message gets teenagers. When Safe Streets, a community group, asked pupils to design their own anti-drug posters, many emphasised cosmetic hazards over chemical ones.