Virtual Drug Addiction

It is established that computer games and multimedia capture the attention of teenagers as do few other toys. TAVAD has used this interactive media to tackle drug use among young people.

Use Virtual Drugs and feel the Virtual Addiction

In spite of efforts made by public and private organizations, cocaine use has followed a bullish tendency among young people. TAVAD has developed a new alternative: a computer game that simulates the experience of actually making a decision as to whether or not to take a dose of drugs, and then to demonstrate the effects of that decision.

The game is based on motorcycle racing, in which the young player can choose his pilot to race under the effects of cocaine. With the drug, the player goes faster, overcomes the obstacles, jumps, and the sensations of sound and speed are more attractive. But after a certain time, the effects wear off, the game stops and the pilot has to take another dose. Tolerance to the drug grows: the “highs” are short lived each time and the number of stops to take a dose grows. At the end, the effects of the drug diminish the realism of the race and frustrate any effort to improve.

The system has been tested at public schools in Madrid, Tel Aviv and New York, in teenagers aged 12 to 17 years. Participants were encouraged to run the first race using cocaine, and to run the next one without it. From that moment, they could choose to run with or without the drug, or to leave the room and stop playing. Before and after playing the game, they filled out a questionnaire with items about behaviour and attitudes before drug use. Also, after the second questionnaire a group session took place to gather further information and neutralize any negative effect that could have developed from taking the test.

Results show that 100% of the subjects concluded that with drugs it is not possible to be in control and to be the first. Everyone appeared pleased and eager to continue learning about drugs. Many even asked for a copy of the game at the end. In short, the experience of becoming a virtual addict in a very short period of time proved to be a very powerful deterrent to drug use.

░ Virtual Addiction Video

The game that can become a psychological vaccine against drugs

The computer game, invented by Dr.Legarda, may become a psychological vaccine to prevent drug use

░ Multimedia Game: Virtual Drug Addiction

The first screen of the motorbike race offers the player the opportunity to use cocaine or to play without drugs.		The race is about to start. The player in third position has decided to snort cocaine and a consumption "brain meter" at the bottom right shows in yellow-orange that the player is under the effects of drugs.
The player is jumping over a car. With cocaine he can do anything. As the "brain meter" shows, he is still under the effects of cocaine, although it is about to end.		The effects of cocaine have ended. While the player is trying to get another dose, another player who is not concerned with drugs overtakes him.
The player is running without cocaine. Now he has to learn and develop the necessary skills to win the race.		The player is running without drugs and he has an accident. He has to improve his driving skills.

Adicción Virtual (Español)