War on Drugs in the Philippines: Evaluating Fear Appeals as Antidote to Continued Drug Use

The findings showed that scare tactics were effective in encouraging or forcing drug users to surrender to local authorities. However, their effectiveness in preventing continued drug use was inconclusive. Structural weaknesses in community rehabilitation policies and programs were identified. Over time, the initial fear-inducing impact of the scare tactics diminished as surrenderers became desensitized. Recommendations for enhancing the efficacy of the government's anti-drug campaign were provided.