Just Say No facts for kids
The "Just Say No" campaign was a well-known advertising effort in the United States during the 1980s and early 1990s. It was part of the "War on Drugs" and aimed to help children and teenagers avoid using illegal drugs. The campaign taught young people different ways to say "no" when offered drugs. First Lady Nancy Reagan created and strongly supported this slogan during her husband's presidency.
How "Just Say No" Started
The "Just Say No" campaign grew from a program that helped prevent drug abuse. This program started in the 1970s and was supported by the National Institutes of Health. It taught students skills to resist pressure from friends and other social influences.
Nancy Reagan first got involved in 1980 during a trip to Daytop Village in New York. She felt it was very important to teach young people about the dangers of drugs. After her husband became president, she returned to Daytop Village. There, she explained how she wanted to help educate young people. In 1981, she said her main goal was to make people aware of how dangerous drug abuse could be.
The "Just Say No" slogan was created by Robert Cox and David Cantor. They were advertising experts in New York in the early 1980s.
The phrase "Just Say No" first appeared in 1982. This was when Nancy Reagan visited Longfellow Elementary School in Oakland, California. A schoolgirl asked her what to do if someone offered her drugs. The First Lady simply replied: "Just say no." Soon after, "Just Say No" clubs and anti-drug programs became very popular in schools.
Campaign Efforts and Spread
The "Just Say No" campaign and its famous phrase became a big part of American culture. TV shows like Diff'rent Strokes and Punky Brewster even had episodes about the campaign. In 1983, Nancy Reagan appeared as herself on Dynasty and Diff'rent Strokes. She did this to gain more support for the anti-drug message. La Toya Jackson became a spokesperson for the campaign in 1987. She even recorded a song called "Just Say No."
In 1985, Nancy Reagan helped the campaign spread around the world. She invited the First Ladies from thirty different countries to a conference at the White House in Washington, D.C. Later, she became the first First Lady ever invited to speak at the United Nations.
She also asked for help from groups like the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, Kiwanis Club International, and the National Federation of Parents for a Drug-Free Youth. The Kiwanis Club put up over 2,000 billboards with Nancy Reagan's picture and the "Just Say No" slogan. More than 5,000 "Just Say No" clubs were started in schools and youth groups in the United States and other countries. Many of these clubs still exist today. They continue to teach children and teenagers about the harmful effects of drugs.
Images for kids
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"Just Say No" advertisement
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Nancy Reagan with children at a 'Just Say No' walk at the Washington Monument in 1998
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Nancy Reagan at a "Just Say No" rally at the White House (1986)
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"Just Say No" memorabilia at the Reagan Library (2008)
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See also
In Spanish: Just Say No para niños
