The Word on the Street: Advertising, Youth Culture and Legitimate Speech in Drug Education

This paper explores the relationship between drug cultures, advertising messages and drug education. The author argues that commercial cultures have appropriated the language and usages of drug cultures in order to sell to a youth market. An analysis of such advertising practices suggests the industry regards drug use as a significant feature of youth culture; drug use is demonstrated to be increasingly characterized as a signifier which connotes pleasure and excitement. The functioning of such advertising practices is examined in an attempt to understand the implications this may have for the construction and implementation of drug education strategies.