NEWS: Shock ad to fight drug deaths

[Bent Mk2]

Shock ad in bid to fight drug deaths

A graphic advertisement depicting a drug overdose will screen at Melbourne cinemas in a bid to encourage young people to call an ambulance if their friends become ill after taking drugs.

A 60-second version of the Metropolitan Ambulance Service (MAS) advertisement, funded by the State Government and made by Swinburne University film and television students, was commissioned in response to a recommendation from Victoria's coroner.

A shorter version of the advertisement may run on television.

State Coroner Graeme Johnstone approached the MAS to create a project that would educate young people about how to handle overdose situations following an inquest into the death of Melbourne nurse Belinda Davey, who died in February 2005.

Ms Davey, 21, became Victoria's first fatal victim of the illegal party drug GHB after overdosing in the Saville Hotel car park, apparently mistaking the drug for water.

Mr Johnstone concluded that Ms Davey's death was "preventable" — if only her "friends" had telephoned an ambulance.

The ad, launched at a St Kilda cinema this morning, shows a young man collapsing after taking drugs while out clubbing with friends.

MAS chief executive Greg Sassella said he hoped the campaign, titled "Live or die: it's your call", would encourage people to report drug overdoses without fear of being reported to the police.

"There is no reason to be be afraid to call an ambulance," Mr Sassella said.

Paramedics would "seek to protect the privacy of all patients and will only call the police if a crime is in the process of being committed," he said.

Melbourne paramedics were called to about 30 drug overdoses involving ecstasy and related drugs each week, he said.

'Be brave, bold'

Health Minister Bronwyn Pike said people would not be penalised for calling an ambulance.

"This comes up quite often," Ms Pike said. "Sometimes people are nervous about seeking medical assistance because they might have been involved in criminal activity, but in our society the health system has a role, and that is to save lives.

"This is about being brave, being bold and doing the right thing."

Film producer Carla McConnell, 30, a final year Swinburne student, said she thought students were chosen because of their passion to get the message across to other young people.

"We went (on the job) with paramedics and I actually saw an ice overdose.

"If everybody did the same thing, they'd never take drugs again," she said

theage.com.au

Good to see the government doing the right thing and highlighting the fact you don't get into trouble for calling for help. Big thumbs up!

 

[NickyJ]

Thats excellent news :D

 

[lil angel15]

Great initiative by the MAS and Victorian state government.

Hopefully some other states take on this approach.

 

[Cazoom]

Atlast an ad that may actually save lives.

 

[katmeow]

Atlast an ad that may actually save lives.

*nods*

Good to see some positive initiative taken.

 

[Misterwize2]

Totally agree with the move but I thought it might have been more beneficial to target a drug that is more widespread than GHB.

Out of interest what is drug with the highest number of overdoses in Australia? Wouldn't it make sense to target that instead? (perhaps methadone/heroin/alcohol+benzo combo)

Personally, and I know that some people will disagree, I still view GHB as a niche drug and not one of the true mainstream drugs yet.

Though I am sure some doctors would probably disagree.

 

[psycosynthesis]

GHB is fairly popular within certain crowds, it certainly isn't as mainstream as mdma and meth but it's getting there.

 

[static_mind]

Yey Positive action from the government! I believe this has been one of the biggest myths about drugs. That ambos call the police, should be good to have it removed

 

[hoptis]

This is terrific news actually, as I said in the Belinda Davey thread some time ago regarding the coroner's findings:

On Friday the State Coroner released his findings into this death. Shame there seems to be nothing about making any comment on how deaths like this could be prevented in future; i.e. educating drug users on the importance of calling for medical assistance and how the police won't be called.

NEWS: Party drug claims Victorian Life

This is one of the most important messages that needs to get out to drug users.

 

[Mr Blonde]

Totally agree with the move but I thought it might have been more beneficial to target a drug that is more widespread than GHB.

Out of interest what is drug with the highest number of overdoses in Australia? Wouldn't it make sense to target that instead? (perhaps methadone/heroin/alcohol+benzo combo)

Personally, and I know that some people will disagree, I still view GHB as a niche drug and not one of the true mainstream drugs yet.

Though I am sure some doctors would probably disagree.

From the article I didn't gather that they were particularly targeting GHB, just that the need for the advertisement was raised by an inquest into the death of a woman who did die from overdosing on G and who's friends didn't call an ambulance.

 

[ilikeacid]

Good ol Swinny students doing their part for community awareness! Hopefully it will do some good :D

 

[mystical mind fuck]

Any one know if the add has been posted on the web? I'd love to see it.

 

[Misterwize2]

Sorry I read it and put two and two together and assumed it would be GHB based ad.

Will be interesting to see how they portray it. I am guessing young lad out with his mates in a bar or club then takes a pill off a random guy then the camera starts spinning out and then he's in hospital leah betts style with pipes everywhere and then the dreaded beep of the heart monitor failing.

When does it get released?

 

[hoptis]

Ambulance launches party ad
Holly Lloyd-McDonald
December 14, 2006 12:00am

Help just a call away: a scene from the new advertisements.

DO not be afraid. That is the message from the Metropolitan Ambulance Service to party-goers this festive season.

Paramedics have urged young people who fear their friends may be having a drug overdose to call triple 0 without hesitation.

A hard-hitting ambulance advertising campaign, "It's your call", was launched this week.

State coroner Graeme Johnstone recommended an education campaign to get drug users to call triple 0 after the drug overdose of Belinda Davey in February 2005.

MAS joined Swinburne University Film and Television School students to make an advertisement by young people and for young people.

The ad shows a man frothing at the mouth as a female friend cries hysterically over his convulsing body and another male friend holds a mobile phone, hesitating whether to call.

MAS chief executive officer Greg Sassella said there was evidence people were afraid of calling in case police, or worse -- their parents -- were called in.

Mr Sassella said paramedics were on scene to help, not to pass judgment. "Our paramedics are focused only on saving lives," Mr Sassella said. "This advertisement will be confrontational, in your face and topical."

Herald Sun

 

[Splatt]

Too bad that recent death in W.A. contradicts this message. How the police turned up to charge the girls boyfriend for supplying the pills. Soo american...

 

[pacdan]

Too bad that recent death in W.A. contradicts this message. How the police turned up to charge the girls boyfriend for supplying the pills. Soo american...

I'm with you on that. Unfortunately there's a few more people out there now that will be scared into not doing the right thing all because they have a small amount of drugs on them. It be nice for the authorities to compliment this advertising campaign by doing the right thing on the police side of things.