Anti-drug campaign spotlights casual remarks that downplay drug abuse
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
By scanning a QR code, the public can unlock an augmented reality feature that lets them virtually burst speech bubbles carrying permissive statements commonly used to downplay drug abuse.
PHOTO: OGILVY SINGAPORE
- A new anti-drug campaign in Singapore will use giant speech bubbles at public places to highlight and challenge casual remarks that downplay drug abuse among youths.
- The campaign offers interactive experiences and quizzes to help youths recognise permissive drug talk and equips them with skills to speak up against it.
- Recent data shows a rise in young drug abusers, prompting the government to intensify education and outreach efforts to prevent drug use among youths.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – A new campaign aimed at helping youth recognise and challenge conversations that normalise drug abuse will be rolled out at MRT stations, bus stops and other public spaces.
The installations are part of the second year of Uninfluenced, a three-year public education campaign by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and advertising agency Ogilvy Singapore.
The organisations said in a joint press statement on July 16 that the ongoing campaign, which will run until the end of 2026, shifts the focus from the dangers of drugs to the seemingly casual comments, jokes and rationalisations that can make drug abuse appear socially acceptable or less harmful.
The installations display brightly coloured three-dimensional speech bubbles which carry permissive statements commonly used to downplay drug abuse.
Examples include: “If it’s legal elsewhere, how bad can it be?”, and “If everyone thinks it’s okay, it must be okay.”
By scanning a QR code, the public can unlock an augmented reality feature that lets them virtually burst the speech bubbles while learning why such statements can be misleading.
The campaign aims to encourage young people aged between 15 and 25 to speak up when they encounter permissive attitudes towards drugs instead of staying silent, and to influence others to do the same.
By turning conversations that normalise drug abuse into something visible and interactive, CNB hopes to equip young people with the confidence to recognise risky outcomes and reject them before they take the first step towards obtaining or using drugs.
The public can also take a short quiz to find out which character they identify with most, based on the traits of gut instinct, wit, reason and empathy. Each character represents a different way of navigating and responding to permissive attitudes towards drug abuse. Through these characters and the quiz, young people can learn how to effectively speak up against such views and protect themselves.
The campaign also extends to paid media, on-the-ground activations in institutes of higher learning, content partnerships, social media and digital experiences. Content will also be available on the Uninfluenced website and through social media channels.
The Government had in 2024 announced that it was taking its anti-drug drive to classrooms, amid reports showing a spike in the number of young drug abusers, including teenagers who started using illicit substances before turning 18.
Figures released on Feb 10 by the CNB showed more young and first-time abusers were arrested in Singapore in 2025 for drug-related offences, with the youngest aged 12.
The number of first-time drug abusers CNB arrested who were below 20 years old increased from 134 in 2024 to 170 in 2025. There was also a surge in the number of female drug abusers arrested in 2025, with women accounting for one in four first-time abusers arrested.
Kaye Chow, CNB’s deputy director for partnership and outreach at the agency’s DrugFreeSG office said: “The conversations youths encounter can shape how they perceive drugs over time.
“CNB’s Uninfluenced campaign seeks to equip them with the awareness and confidence to think critically about these messages, and to respond constructively when they come across views that may normalise or downplay drug harm.”