Abstract
The research examined The Role of Punch Newspaper in Creating Awareness against Drug Abuse” (A case study of Selected Residents in Lagos Nigeria).However, mass media especially newspaper have the power to influence the feelings and attitude of people while it also help in solving social problems which drug/substances abuse is one. Advertising messages and commercials in newspaper can persuade and convince people to buy a wide range of products and services by influence behaviour. Survey research method was adopted to select respondents within Lagos state and One hundred and twenty (120) copies of questionnaire were administered to the selected respondents. Findings shown that Majority of the respondents were aware of what drug abuse is all about through mass media and friends. Almost all the respondents have one way or the other abuse drug or substance and the abuse it usually frequent that is why the degree of drug abuse in our society is very high. The Punch newspaper and other mass media educate and enlighten people on the dangers in drug abuse. It is recommended that National and International Health Organisations should banned media advertisement and publicity of substances and drug like tobacco cigarette, alcohol and other harmful drinks. While mass media should design specially campaign to create awareness on the negative effects of abuse.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Mass media have been a major agent of socialization and tool for social change especially now that people depend on message from mass media. The potential power of the mass media help solve social problems. television, radio and print advertising can entice people to buy a wide range of products and services, and newspaper messages and advertisement influence our ideas, values and behaviour.
According to conventional wisdom, it could be possible to use mass communications to get people to act on behalf of their own health and well-being or to do right things. Based on this assumption, since World War II, the federal, state and local governments, private foundations and other non-governmental organizations have sponsored hundreds of public service campaigns to promote social rather than commercial “goods” (DeJong and Winsten, 2000).
It is not surprising, then, that prevention advocates would look to the mass media as an important aid in addressing the problem of high-risk drinking in society. Some advocates have pushed for reform or other restrictions on alcohol advertising. Others have sought to influence entertainment producers to end the glorification of high-risk drinking on newspaper, magazine, television and in the movies (Montgomery, 2009). More recently, prevention advocates have produced a small number of media campaigns designed to change students and youth knowledge, attitudes and behavior.
Most media campaigns focused on college students drinking which have been campus based, using a mix of posters, flyers, electronic mail messages and college newspaper advertisements. More recently, a few regional, state and national media campaigns have begun to address this issue as well.
Therefore, this study is out to examine the mass media especially the print in creating awareness against drug abuse.