White House to launch ad campaign on opioid addiction

The White House on Thursday announced that it is launching an ad campaign to raise awareness about opioid abuse among young people as part of its effort to fight the nationwide epidemic of addiction.

The administration is launching four ads telling the true stories of people who went to extreme lengths to fuel their addiction, including someone who purposely broke their arm so they could get more painkillers.

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The ads are intended to warn young people about the dangers of opioid abuse and are part of the anti-opioid plan that President Trump announced in March.

“This is our first step in publicly engaging with youth,” said White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, who has taken on a leading role on opioid issues.

“The goal is for other young adults to see the ads and ask themselves if they can prevent their lives and others’ lives from going [into addiction],” she said on a call with reporters.

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy is partnering with two nonprofits, the Truth Initiative and the Ad Council, which is behind famous ad campaigns like Smokey Bear, who warns against forest fires.

The space for the TV and digital ads is being donated by companies including NBC, Facebook, YouTube and Google, officials said.

The ad space will likely be worth more than $30 million, said Lisa Sherman, president of the Ad Council.

Organizers tested over 150 different messages before settling on the four most effective ads, according to officials.