Above the Influence is an advertising campaign of the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign conducted by the Office of National Drug Control Policy in the United States that includes broad messaging to focus on substances most abused by teens, and delivers both broad prevention messaging at the national level and more targeted efforts at the local community level.[1]
The Media Campaign has two distinct areas of focus: a teen-targeted Above the Influence Campaign, and a young adult-targeted Anti-Meth Campaign. By law, the purpose of the Media Campaign is to prevent drug abuse among teens in the United States; increase awareness of adults of the impact of drug abuse on young people; and encourage parents and other interested adults to discuss with young people the dangers of illegal drug use.[2]
It features an arrow pointing up with a circle around it. Symbols 'above' in above the influence.
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In 2006, the Government Accountability Office released the results of 5-year-study, concluding that the previous, “My Anti-Drug”, campaign was ineffective, and likely counterproductive, leading those exposed to an increased perception that others use marijuana, stating, "analysis also indicated that among current, non-drug-using youth, exposure to the campaign had unfavorable effects on their anti-drug norms and perceptions of other youths’ use of marijuana — that is, greater exposure to the campaign was associated with weaker anti-drug norms and increases in the perceptions that others use marijuana."[3]
In 2011, Ohio State University released the results of an independent scientific study stating that the Above the Influence campaign appears to have effectively reduced marijuana use by teenagers. "Evidence for the success of Above the Influence is especially heartening because the primary independent evaluation of its predecessor campaign, 'My Anti-Drug', showed no evidence for success", said Michael Slater, principal investigator of the new study and professor of communication at Ohio State University. “The ‘Above the Influence’ campaign appears to be successful because it taps into the desire by teenagers to be independent and self-sufficient,” Slater said. He also mentioned the limitations of the study. These include the fact that findings regarding the ONDCP campaign were based on survey results and not a randomized, experimental design in which some youth saw the ONDCP campaign and others did not. Another limitation was that the study, while taking place in 20 communities around the U.S., did not use a random sample of U.S. youth. [4]
Above the Influence's ads have also generated controversy, especially one called "Sick", which features a girl puking what appears to be photos of her friends, a trophy, and other items of significance in her life. The commercial was controversial and led to 285 dislikes on YouTube, as well as negative reception. The negative reviews have given "Sick" less airplay.