No Drugs or Know Drugs? Government versus Peer Messaging in Black Markets

Illicit drug use and abuse is one of the leading causes of injury-related deaths in the U.S., and adverse health outcomes related to drug consumption continue to rise. Anti-drug curriculums, such as “Just Say No” proved to have little measurable deterrence effects, and thus interest groups are increasingly looking at other avenues to curb risky behavior. Our experiment leverages randomized messaging campaigns, provided through online social media outlets, to determine which message, if any, is perceived as "more effective" in drug deterrence by the participants. We utilize a two-by-two research design, whereby we vary both the content of the message as well as the sender of the message. In terms of message content, participants are either presented with a harm reduction (e.g., safer use) message or an abstinence (e.g., drugs are illegal) message. In terms of the sender of the message, we vary the job title and picture of the sender to be either a government official, or someone who would be perceived by the participant as a "peer." We then ask participations to evaluate the information that they were presented with in terms of its clarity, credibility, and relevance, and we further inquire about their drug consumption intentions and safer use behavior. The outcome of our study will help inform policy interventions that may be designed to curb the illegal drug problem.