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Date of Award
Spring 2025
Degree Name
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Visual Communication Design
Department
Art
Committee Chair
Jamie Runnells
Exhibition Date
4-3-2025
Description
The war on drugs began on June 17, 1971. Many campaigns and projects were launched to help fight this war, including D.A.R.E. and "Just Say No," which were among the first and most popular initiatives. Revealing the Truth: The Consequences of Failed Drug Campaigns and the Dehumanization of People Suffering from Addiction is a thesis exhibition show and paper that explores these failed campaigns and highlights their lasting effects, including the dehumanization of people struggling with addiction, widespread misinformation, and the amplification of abuse. These effects have shaped how our government deals with drug abuse issues today, leading to mass incarceration rates, increased violence, systemic issues, and discrimination. The goal of this thesis is to get the attention of policymakers and designers who help make these campaigns, recognize the effects that campaigns like these have on people, and encourage them to take a more progressive and effective approach to this issue.