The Campaign

The idea is to bring a new perspective to the discourse on drugs, to expose the problems and inequities related to drug traffic, starting from the farmers who cultivate drugs. Without demand for drugs there would be no supply of them either; it is the demand which makes drug traffic and its negative, far-reaching effects possible. In the end all the different aspects feed off one another.

The aim of this campaign is to raise awareness, create discussion and eventually encourage and enable drug farmers to seek and employ alternative forms of agriculture.

The campaign was financed by the Finnish Center for Health Promotion (Terveyden edistämisen keskus) from 2002 to 2003.

During that time the campaign gathered 2622 signatures for a petition demanding that the amount of developmental aid should be increased to the level recommended by the United Nations, crop substitution plans should be encouraged, and the violent and useless war on drugs should be halted.

The campaign also collected 2534 euros and 25 cents to support the traditions of Q'eros and other Andean communities' peoples. The funds were used to support the organizing of Qoyllorritti festival in traditional and more ecological way at Peru in 2004.

Today the campaign continues as a national (Finnish) campaign on volunteer basis and focuses on raising awareness of these issues in public and politicians.

The campaign is organized by a registered Finnish non-profit preventive anti-drug association YAD Youth Against Drugs ry.