News Release

2007-160
November 6, 2007
For immediate release

National Drug Prevention Advisory Committee meets to discuss youth drug prevention

OTTAWA - The National Drug Prevention Advisory Committee is meeting for the first time today to discuss the development of a prevention-focussed mass media campaign under the National Anti-Drug Strategy.

"I look forward to working with this Committee to develop a campaign that will help our youth understand the real consequences of using drugs," said Health Minister Tony Clement. "We want to ensure that parents are equipped with the tools and information necessary to help them to initiate open, informed discussions with their children regarding drug use and making healthy life choices."

Part of Health Canada's role in the National Anti-Drug Strategy is to develop a national youth drug prevention mass media campaign to increase awareness among youth of the dangers of experimenting with drugs.

The National Drug Prevention Advisory Committee is a senior-level advisory committee co-chaired by Health Canada and the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA). The committee will provide guidance for the development, implementation and evaluation of a national youth drug prevention mass media campaign led by Health Canada.

As announced by Prime Minister Harper on October 4, 2007, the National Anti-Drug Strategy is a collaborative effort involving Health Canada, Public Safety Canada and the Department of Justice, and includes three action plans: preventing illicit drug use; treating those with illicit drug dependencies; and combating the production and distribution of illicit drugs. It will provide $10 M in new funds over the next two years to introduce an awareness campaign aimed youth and their parents.

For more information on the National Anti-Drug Strategy, please visit: http://www.nationalantidrugstrategy.gc.ca/

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Media Enquiries:
Joey Rathwell
Health Canada
(613) 957-1588

Laryssa Waler
Office of the Honourable Tony Clement
Federal Minister of Health
(613) 957-0200

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(613) 957-2991
1-866 225-0709