A press release enables you to reach out to the media, including TV, radio, newspaper, magazine, and Internet journalists, to call attention to cough medicine abuse in your community and what’s being done to stop it. Writing and distributing an effective press release can garner valuable media coverage surrounding the work of your coalition, as well as the issue of OTC cough and cold medicine abuse as a whole.
Helpful Tips
Develop a “hook.” Sometimes reporters need a “hook,” or captivating lead sentence, such as a specific event like a town hall meeting or the reading of a proclamation, to foster interest in a particular story.
In the following sample, we provide you with placeholders for information related to a specific event. If your release is not tied to an event, the importance of the topic may be enough to drive the story on its own. It is critical, however, that you communicate something newsworthy—such as a survey, local statistics, a new initiative, etc.—in order to attract reporters’ attention.
Stick to the formula. A press release structure is formulaic, with the “who, what, where, why, and when” in the opening paragraph. The closing paragraph is always a brief description about the organization sending the press release (in this case, your coalition), also known as a boilerplate. The body of the release should provide detailed information about over-the-counter cough medicine abuse. If possible, there should be a total of one to three quotes from a representative range of people such as an advocacy organization’s director, parent, teenager, public official, or educator. Press releases ideally should be kept short, no more than two, double- or single-spaced pages.
Get your release in the hands of the right people. Put together a press list of local and regional news media outlets and reporters, complete with e-mail addresses, fax, and phone numbers. For example, TV press list should include local network affiliates (e.g., CBS, ABC, NBC, FOX) and cable stations. (It is vital to find the right reporter or editor who covers stories about teenagers and drug abuse.)
Submitting Your Press Release
The press release should be sent the morning of or before your event, after
the release
of a Media Alert to let reporters know that news is forthcoming. Please see
the “Media Alert” section of this toolkit for more information.
If your release is not tied to an event, then there is no deadline. It should
be noted, however, that weekly or monthly print publications “go to
press” on a certain day, and your press release should be in their
hands well before that deadline.
There are generally two ways to proceed once a press release is ready to
be sent. Either you can call the reporter or editor first and let him or
her know that the press release is coming, or you can send it first and then
follow-up with a call. Nine times out of 10,
if you send the press release first, the reporters will ask you to send it
again. Be sure to verify how each media outlet prefers to receive press releases,
usually by fax or e-mail.
Make a follow-up call. If you can’t reach the reporter or editor, you might have to leave a voicemail pitch, which is not as advantageous as speaking to a live person. Always be mindful of reporters’ busy schedules and deadlines.
Sample Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Phone #:
Email:
LOCAL COALITION LEADERS MOBILIZE AT [TYPE OF EVENT, SUCH AS TOWN HALL MEETING, WORKSHOP, ETC.] AND TAKE ACTION AGAINST TEEN COUGH MEDICINE ABUSE
[NAME OF COALITION] Joins Nationwide Effort to Combat Substance Abuse Trend
CITY/STATE, DATE—[NAME OF YOUR COALITION], alongside other local organizations and concerned individuals, today announce a major community event to fight teen over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine abuse. The event—[NAME IT AND PROVIDE DATE]—is part of a national cough medicine abuse education initiative, A Dose of Prevention: Stopping Cough Medicine Abuse Before It Starts, sponsored by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) and the Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA).
[NAME OF EVENT] will take place on [DATE AND TIME] at [LOCATION]. [IF THERE ARE OTHER NOTEWORTHY PARTICIPANTS OR SPONSORS, NAME THEM HERE.]
It is estimated that 2.4 million teens—that’s one out of 10 kids nationwide from all backgrounds and geographic areas—say they have abused cough remedies to get high. Further underscoring this trend, the National Institute on Drug Abuse’s “Monitoring the Future” study estimates the intentional abuse of cough medicine among eighth, 10th, and 12th graders is at roughly four percent, five percent, and seven percent, respectively—on par with cocaine. Children abusing these otherwise safe and beneficial medications intentionally take huge amounts, as much as 25 to 50 times the recommended dose, to get high. At these extreme doses, side effects can be dangerous, including hallucinations, heart problems, vomiting, seizures, and even loss of consciousness.
“We have a big problem on our hands, but we know from prior experience that education is the most effective way to keep kids from abusing all types of substances, including OTC medicines,” said [NAME OF PERSON], [TITLE] of [COALITION NAME]. “We are committed to bringing together all constituencies in our community to prevent and stop this abuse. [NAME THE EVENT] is a great step in the right direction, and parents are certainly the key.”
However, according to a CADCA survey conducted in 2006, only eight percent of parents are aware that young people are abusing cough remedies, and 75 percent don’t talk with their children about it. Most often, kids get their information via the Internet or by word-of-mouth. In fact, authorities say that DXM overdoses typically occur in clusters, as word of the drug spreads in a community’s middle and high schools.
The [NAME OF COALITION] is comprised of [LIST ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COALITION]. According to [PREVIOUSLY QUOTED COALITION REPRESENTATIVE OR OTHER CONCERNED EXPERT], “Raising awareness among parents, educators, healthcare professionals, retailers, law enforcement, and other teen influencers about this substance abuse problem is crucial to combating it.” Part of the national CADCA and CHPA cough medicine education initiative includes the release of a cough medicine abuse toolkit for all these audiences, to get the community involved in this community issue.
“As a community, we want to safeguard our young people against substance abuse,” said General Arthur Dean, Executive Director and CEO of CADCA. “While children make up only 25 percent of our national population, they represent 100 percent of our future.”
The Dose of Prevention toolkit, containing resources for parents, law enforcement officials, healthcare providers, educators, and retailers, is now available online at www.doseofprevention.org. For more information about the [THE COALITION’S EVENT] or cough medicine abuse in general, please contact: [INFORMATION].
<<INSERT BOILERPLATE PARAGRAPH ABOUT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COALITION.>>