Cllr. Ben Ward welcomes the launch of the Drugs Awareness Campaign with Carlow County Council and Carlow Regional Youth Services.

I am delighted to see the outcome of the Drugs Awareness Campaign by Carlow County Council and Carlow Regional Youth Services. This project was initiated following my work to secure funding as part of the council’s budget for 2025. We secured €5000 in funding alongside funding from various other sources to support the project. The issue of substance misuse and addiction is prevalent across Carlow and in our rural communities. I wanted to create a project that both highlighted the harms of substance misuse but also gave young people the tools to find healthy coping mechanisms for mental health issues.

We were delighted to partner with Carlow Regional Youth Services to work directly with young people to develop an effective campaign targeted at young people. Rather than producing top-down messaging, the goal was to involve young people directly in shaping the campaign, ensuring the language, visuals, and ideas felt authentic and impactful. We worked with graphic designer, Paul Byrne, to bring the young people’s vision to life.

The group decided to develop three distinct posters, each tackling substance abuse from a different perspective.

Get High on Life:

A positive, empowering message encouraging young people to choose life, purpose, and connection. The group introduced an ironic visual twist by using a poppy flower, playing on expectations while reinforcing the message in a memorable way.

Everyone Knows:

A poster focused on reputational damage, featuring an all-eyes-on-you concept. The central eye appears dark and unhappy, reflecting the pressure, judgement, and lasting impact that substance use can have on how others see you.

Popcorn Lung:

A striking visual highlighting the physical consequences of vaping. The group designed an image of popcorn bursting from a lung, using shock and clarity to communicate a serious message quickly and powerfully.

Every element of these posters came directly from the participants through the workshop process. PB Studio’s role was to guide, refine, and translate their ideas into finished designs without diluting their intent.

I am delighted with the outcome of this element of the project. However, the work continues! We are now working on organising a “Wellfest” event for young people to come together and learn about healthy ways to cope with mental health issues.