Cocaine. The Big Lie. (NIDA / Ad Council)

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Also: Cocaine/Crack: The Big Lie

“Cocaine. The Big Lie.”

A multimedia campaign NIDA launched in March 1986 for young adults aged 18-35, the group using the most cocaine. It stressed cocaine's addictiveness and health risks and sent users to treatment through 1-800-662-HELP. Needham Harper Worldwide developed it under the auspices of the Advertising Council.

Years: 1986
Country: United States
Topic: Drugs
Asks people to: Seek help Stop
Strategy: Fear appeal Service link
Channel: Print Radio TV
Audience: Adults Young adults
Ages 18-35.

Evidence

NoneUnknown

Sponsor (who paid)

Ad Council Ad Council (pro bono), campaign producer
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), HHS Federal government, sponsor

Credits (who made it)

Needham Harper Worldwide (merged into DDB Needham, 1986) Creative, 1986-1988 source

Related campaigns

Sources

Research notes

Credits checked 2026-10-22 against fetched pages: Needham Harper Worldwide (Reagan Library document: NIDA launched 'COCAINE. THE BIG LIE.' in March 1986, 'developed by Needham Harper Worldwide, under the auspices of The Advertising Council'; Ad Council Historical File RS 13/2/207 has a 'Drug Abuse Prevention (Cocaine)' file dated April 1988 catalogued 'Doyle, Dane & Bernbach, Needham, Harper & Steers'). Corrected 2026-10-22: credit years changed from 1986 to 1986-1988. End year not found; a 1987 ADAMHA booklet extended it as 'Cocaine/crack: the big lie'. 'cessation-service-link' is used for the treatment-referral hotline. Illinois Archives retrieval: RS 13/2/207 Historical File, box 39 folders 9-17 (NIDA drug abuse prevention, 1986-88; folder 17 is the cocaine file). Other candidate series are 13/2/204 Campaign Listings 1942-92, 13/2/218 Campaign Posters 1942-90, 13/2/214 Television PSAs 1963, 1971-92, 1997, 13/2/219 Campaign Files 1966-2004 and 13/2/280 Campaign Video Recordings.

Record cases/cocaine-the-big-lie.json, updated 2026-10-22· Link to this campaign