Drugs: The Demographics

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In any business, there is a target demographic or audience. The business will seek to market their services and products to that group of individuals who would see a higher sense of appeal in them. In marketing, it is essential to define this group by age range, gender, location, profession, etc. Once you have the demographic, you design and implement your marketing plan to reach out to those individuals. However, in the drug industry, the demographics are not researched, they are not planned, they are not strategically sought out due to appeal, age, gender and what not. The reason why? The target demographic for the drug industry is everyone.

Positioning the product to a businesses audience is necessary to getting their interest. The way drugs are positioned as valuable in schools, social circles and professional groups is by method of envy. “You should try, _______(drug), if you don’t you are not cool,” is often seen in schools. “Use this to take the edge off and get an advantage over the others,” is commonplace in business. “You won’t have a good time without, _______(drug),” is a norm among social circles at gatherings such as parties, clubs, etc.

A method often found in businesses to incentivise customers is to offer a referral program. If you refer a customer to them, you get a discount on your next service or purchase or something similar to that. In the drug industry, it is fueled by referrals. A user gets another person interested in a drug and connects them with their dealer. Incentive or no incentive, this is the most common method of customer acquisition in the drug industry. This is why the kid at school who hangs around the wrong crowd eventually bites the end of the bat and decides to get involved in drugs. Either their friend buys more and gives the friend some or they get connected with the dealer to acquire their own supply.

Another effective marketing tool, often frowned upon, is to repackage and re-brand the same product to entice excitement about a “new” and “fresh” item. This is no different within the drug industry—new names, for the same drugs. I have heard numerous accounts of individuals overdosing on drugs that they thought were something new and different when it was simply a condensed or more potent version of the same drug they had taken before. Unaware of this, they took more than they could physically handle and overdosed.

When a product is marketed correctly, the demographic will buy it, there is no question. Even negative reviews of the product may not stop many individuals from purchasing. I have heard, many times,“If ______ (person) says the drug was great for them, why not try it?” Even though many others have said they almost died from it, and the news reports thousands of deaths every year from it, they buy and use regardless. The best method to halt purchasing and using is by drug education—honest and thorough drug education. If an individual is already using the drug, then a more systematic withdrawal approach needs to be taken and then followed by necessary drug education.

If you know someone who is suffering from drug addiction, contact Narconon UK. At Narconon, they offer an all-natural and drug-free withdrawal program which aims to give users freedom from their addictions.

AUTHOR

Devin

Devin was born and raised in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana where drug and alcohol abuse was a normal occurrence in families especially after Hurricane Katrina left hundreds of families homeless with easy access to drugs and alcohol to “relieve their pain.“ He was introduced to drugs at a young age and has now been drug-free for over 6 years.

NARCONON UNITED KINGDOM

DRUG EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION