I know that Public Service Announcements (PSAs) can be used effectively as part of larger prevention efforts. Do you know of any websites with prevention PSAs that can be viewed or downloaded?

PSAs can raise people’s awareness about a problem – such as drunk driving, marijuana use, or teen smoking – and place it on the public agenda. It can present recent scientific findings about risk factors and unhealthy behaviors, which can prompt people to evaluate their personal risk and consider possible action for themselves or as part of a collective effort.

The following websites have examples of prevention PSAs that can be downloaded:

The National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign http://www.mediacampaign.org/ has an "ad gallery" where several television, print, radio, and banner prevention PSAs can be downloaded for free.

PBS http://www.pbs.org/merrow/trt/links/psa.htm has an extensive list of sites where free public service announcements are available to be downloaded, ordered, or viewed online.

Truth. The Antidrug http://www.theantidrug.com/ has print and television PSAs that link drugs to terrorists. They can also be downloaded in Spanish http://www.laantidroga.com.

The Adcouncil http://www.adcouncil.org/ has prevention PSAs and other media materials that can be ordered online and are available for broadcast television and cable stations.

NIDA http://www.nida.nih.gov/DrugPages/PSAhome.html has made several television and radio PSAs from their "Keep Your Body Healthy" campaign series available online.

The following websites contain PSAs that can be viewed online. Contact the agency directly to find out whether they can be obtained and used in your community.

"The Truth" http://thetruth.com/html/index.cfm?id=154 has several galleries full of print, radio, television, photography, and web PSAs about tobacco for viewing online.

The National Citizens Crime Prevention http://www.weprevent.org/campaign/index.html campaign has PSAs that can be viewed online.

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America http://www.drugfreeamerica.org makes several of their radio, print and television PSAs available for viewing online.

Play Clean http://www.playclean.org/media_spots.html has several television PSAs that prevent youth drug use through sports available online.

Related CAPT Products

For more information and resources about public education prevention approaches and communications in general as an effective prevention strategy, visit the Northeast CAPT StrategySite at http://www.northeastcapt.org/services/products/papers/communications/default.asp

Please contact the Northeast CAPT at capt@edc.org for more information.