COMPUTER GAME GLAMORIZES DRUGS
A new computer game called NARC glamorises drug taking and sends out the wrong message.
The game produced by Sony can be used on Playstation and Xbox and is readily available for purchase on the internet.
NARC depicts players as elite undercover police officers who take the illicit drugs from drug pushers and use the illicit drugs to give themselves a power boost to help them do their job.
The illicit drugs promoted in the game are crack cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis each drug giving the corrupt police officers a different power boost, for example crack cocaine makes the player a crack shot.
(Source: www.mapinc.org)
DRUG ADVISORY COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA COMMENTS
Computer games promoting illicit drug use send the wrong message to young people and undermine Australian drug efforts to reduce the number of illicit drug users.
Cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis in reality do not enhance job performance but dramatically undermine performance and expose users to increased risk of harm.
NARC also promotes police corruption by suggesting to vulnerable young people that drug squad officers are likely to be corrupt by using confiscated illicit drugs for their own use.
As computer games are played by very young children the influence of NARC can have an impression that is the opposite of the message drug prevention programs should be conveying.
To prevent young people from using illicit drugs truthful information about the actual scientifically proven harm MUST be conveyed to them.
More detoxification & rehabilitation that gets illicit drug users drug free.
Court ordered and supervised detoxification & rehabilitation.
Less illicit drug users, drug pushers and drug related crimes.
23/2005