Cartoons tell Bristol teens to say no to drugs

New cartoons highlighting the dangers of drugs have been produced by Avon and Somerset Police.

The aim of the two cartoons is to educate teenagers about the risks of misusing illegal substances – with the messages "Only mugs risk it with drugs" and "Only mugs deal in drugs".

In Lorraine's Last Laugh, four friends who get into drugs find it leads their lives on different paths. With Tim it is a phase which he leaves behind when he finds a girlfriend but Nick, Wayne and Lorraine find it leads to drug dealing, addiction and even death.

In Nick's Desperate Downfall, the cartoon follows Nick as he uses a legitimate business as a front for dealing drugs before he is arrested, has his assets seized and leaves his family penniless.

The cartoons have been produced by the force as part of the Street Level Up project – a national project involving a number of different police forces working together to tackle drugs from street level right up to the organised crime groups importing drugs into the country.

The short videos were launched at the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Drugs Conference, held in Bristol earlier this week.

The cartoons are now available to view on Avon and Somerset's youth website, Cranium Caviar, and at www.thisisbristol.co.uk.

They were designed by Ian Ball from Avon and Somerset Police's internet development team. Ian said: "The cartoons are designed to capture teenagers' attention and tell them about the dangers of drugs in a very short space of time. We are always looking for innovative ways to reach young people and we have found cartoons to be very effective.

"Educating teenagers about the dangers of drugs is important because it will be the time that some become aware of drugs misuse.

"Through the video we want to show that drugs are not glamorous or cool and can end up wrecking your life. It is not cool and that is why we are telling people that only mugs would risk it with drugs."