Crikey

The 1980s are back. With the release of the results of the government’s Parliamentary Inquiry into drug use, inquiry head Bronwyn Bishop yesterday reminded us of the dire consequences of taking drugs.

Her “drugs aren’t cool” rhetoric brought back memories of Nancy Reagan’s “Just say no” campaign, which sparked an enormous war on drugs that enlisted our favourite TV stars and cartoons.

We took a peep into Bronwyn’s Favourites folder and came up with the following:

• Nancy Reagan kicks off the “War on Drugs
• The LA Lakers heed the call: “Just Say No”
• Days of our Lives star Kristian Alfonso gives advice to her throng of mother fans
• Japanese clip showing the weakening effects of drugs on karate
• Who can forget Mr. T’s “No Dope, No Drugs”?

Lyrics: “You can say goodbye to a long happy life, if you shoot, snort or drag / The suckers will the winners won’t the choice is yours to decide / Mr. T don’t snort, Mr. T don’t drag, I’m happy just being me / Now play it smart, stay in school and leave the dope to the freaks!”

To hear it, visit Mr T’s MySpace page

• Toddy Tee tried to upstage Mr. T with his own kick-the-habit hit:
• 1980s stars unite for the “Stop The Madness” music video in 1985, featuring soon-to-be crack heads LaToya Jackson and Whitney Houston.
• The Flintstone Kids give a 30-minute anti-drug lesson in a 1988 TV special

In the episode, the Flintstone Kids campaign against drugs and Wilma refuses to smoke marijuana in order to gain entry into a ‘cool crowd’.

• A lady committed to a cause, Nancy Reagan again at the 1988 World Series
• The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in their glory day
• From the 80s vault, “Be An Original” anti-drug ad
• Marijuana kills, don’t use it!
• Major League Baseball stars of the 80s, Gary Carter and Mike Schmidt, join the coalition against drugs
• Watch the first ad in this commercial break clip, it’ll definitely deter you from getting high
• Drug ads took a racial turn with “New slavery”
• Robocop delivers a serious speech
• Drugs prevent Captain Planet from saving the day.