Know Your Drugs Campaign
Zone Watch
#LSN_PublicSafety
THUNDER BAY, ONTAIRO – May 3, 2019 (LSN) The Thunder Bay Police Service’s Zone Watch program on Friday officially launched its newest crime prevention and awareness campaign – Know Your Drugs.
The Know Your Drugs campaign aims at addressing the myth that casual drug users are immune from the dangers of opioid-related overdoses.
Three video Public Service Announcements make up the campaign's centrepiece. The goal of these videos is to educate the public about the dangers of synthetic opioids, like Fentanyl and Carfentanil, and to begin a discussion about how these substances are increasingly being found in other black-market narcotics.
“Unlike many awareness campaigns commonly referred to as anti-drug PSAs, the Know Your Drugs campaign is taking a non-judgemental approach,” said Scott Paradis, Thunder Bay Police Service Media Co-ordinator and Zone Watch member.
“The video PSAs start by delivering a light message before altering tone to discuss a very serious issue. We don’t want to shame or belittle users; instead these videos serve as an ice-breaker to start an open and honest dialogue about drug use.”
Community Services Branch Insp. Ryan Gibson said he and other Zone Watch volunteer members hope this campaign helps users, or would-be users, re-consider their decisions.
“Addiction is a very serious issue in our community and substance abuse is the genesis of many of our calls for service,” Insp. Gibson said. “I hope the discussion we start today helps people avoid becoming a tragic statistic, or guides them away from a future in which they are trapped by addiction.”
These videos, along with more information about the campaign, can be found online at www.thunderbaypolice.ca/drugs.
This campaign is sponsored by Dougall Media, and these videos will also air on Thunder Bay Television and tbnewswatch.com, while 30-second radio spots airing on Rock 94, 91.5 CKPR, and Energy 103-104.
PSA No. 1 - This is Cocaine:
PSA No. 2 - This is an Orange:
PSA No. 3 - This is a Moose: