Just Say No

Just Say No was a television advertising campaign, part of the War on Drugs and prevalent during the 1980s and early 1990s, to discourage children from recreational drug use by offering various ways of saying "no." Eventually, this also expanded into the realm of "Just say no" to violence, premarital sex, and any other condemnable idea/entity that one group believed was necessary to "say no" to. The slogan was championed by Nancy Reagan.

Related Topics:
Television - Advertising - War on Drugs - 1980s - 1990s - Recreational drug use - Nancy Reagan

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"Just Say No" also crossed over to the UK, where it was popularised by the BBC's 1986 "Drugwatch" campaign, which revolved around a heroin-addiction storyline in the popular children's TV drama serial Grange Hill. The cast's cover of the original US campaign song, with an added rap, reached the UK top ten.

Related Topics:
BBC - Heroin - Addiction - Grange Hill

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In 1987 LaToya Jackson became spokesperson for the campaign and recorded a song entitled "Just Say No" with British hit producers Stock/Aitken/Waterman.

Related Topics:
LaToya Jackson - Stock/Aitken/Waterman

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The campaign drew some criticism for underestimating the drug use in America and reducing its solution to a catch phrase. Over time, the campaign became the subject of some satire. No significant reduction in the use and trafficking of illegal drugs was seen during the height of the campaign and it is arguable that drug use has significantly grown since.

Related Topics:
Catch phrase - Satire

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