Characteristics and social representation of ecstasy in Europe - Irefrea

isks” because there is still very little known about its long-term effects. After thiswarning, it gives some suggestions for use with a minimum of harm.The campaign in The Algarve, like the one in Oporto, consisted of the distributionof leaflets among the young people who went to discos, with the slogan Atenção,pastilhas. La vida não acaba no fim da noite (Warning, tablets. Life does not end withthe night) The leaflet was small and contained the minimum information on the risks ofsynthetic drugs, ecstasy among them, warning against their use. On the second page, ittold readers that if, in spite of everything, they did decide to use drugs, then they shouldtake the preventive measures given in the leaflet. No evaluation of this campaign wasenvisaged.ITALYOn 25th. February 1997, in the Emilia Romagna Region, the Giunta Regionale dellaRegione Emilia-Romagna approved a project of a regional nature entitled ProgettoNuove Drogue (1997). As mentioned in section 8.4.2, this project took the Dutch harmminimisation model as an example, basing it on two aspects which had not been useduntil then by the Italian authorities in the field of prevention: the twin aspects of realityand responsibility. The first one refers to the necessity of accepting that psychoactivedrugs are being used and, on the basis of this, to draw up measures on harmminimisation in use. The second one refers to the strategy of making the userresponsible for his/her own use through objective information on the effects of this typeof drugs and the preventive measures which should accompany their use.The project envisaged action within the field of prevention and an informativecampaign of widespread diffusion on different subjects. This campaign was designed toattack the myth of the use of this drug and to appeal for a greater awareness of its use(“The campaign must be focus on responsibility, above all. It is important not to makeanyone feel marginal or outside the user group but to stimulate knowledge of the effectsand harm.”). Said campaign was backed by different types of material: posters,pamphlets, etc.Interventions were envisaged in the school, family and recreational sphere.Informative leaflets whose lay-out and design will appeal to the juvenile population isbeing prepared for discos and parties. The ultimate aim of this initiative is to replace theAmerican Just Say No slogan with Just Say Know. In addition, it envisages carrying outtests on the composition of the tablets, within the framework of the discos, in order totell users what they are taking. It also proposes having a laboratory, at a provincial level,to continue to monitor the composition of the tablets available on the market.Another aspect of the project is the regulation of night time establishments in sucha way that the owners are obliged to provide such amenities as a rest area, ensure wateris available, reduce the lighting and acoustic impact, etc.205