The 2009 NCPIC Poster Competition generated some creative, original and thoughtful entries from over 111 high school students from around Australia. The judging panel was impressed with the standard of entries received and the heartfelt way many entrants responded to this year’s theme of how the use of cannabis may impact on relationships.
The criteria that the posters were judged on included creativity, design, originality, and effectiveness in conveying a message on the topic. Congratulations to our winner, Elise Yeaman of Huonville High School, Tasmania, whose poster ‘Cannabis affects friendships’ really stood out and conveyed a powerful and effective message about the impact of cannabis on relationships.
Congratulations also to the runner ups. The entrants’ explanations of their posters are also included below.
To order your free copy of this year’s winning poster, please click here.
The winner
Cannabis affects friendships
"In my poster there are two people sitting on a couch, one is a cannabis user. The other person is his best friend. Basically my poster shows how cannabis can change and isolate people. Also on my poster there are images of cannabis leaves and a lot of spray paint to catch people’s eye. I have also included some text explaining the strain cannabis puts on people’s friendships and relationships."
The finalists
Cannabis – wiping out relationships
“My poster is showing that relationships can be destroyed by cannabis. The person on the right uses cannabis and he is depressed and doesn’t want to be with anyone, even though they’re all happy. The words at the bottom of the page represent cannabis wiping out all the things that are important to people. I created my poster on a chalkboard, to emphasise the idea of cannabis destroying or wiping out certain feelings.”
Where could you be?
“The scenario’s pretty simple. There’s this guy, on drugs. He’s in a bit of a mess. Meanwhile, there’s this gorgeous woman waiting for him, to meet him for their date. But this guy’s so tangled up, he’s completely forgotten about her. The cannabis is all that’s on his mind. There are a couple of suitable symbols in the poster; the spiral on his shirt, symbolising the chaos his life is in; the good luck charm on the lamppost; and of course, the faint cannabis leaf in the full moon. The clock can indicate the ticking of his life, as well as how late he is for his date; and of course, the fact that he is faded into the background: he’s not truly living. His life is, well, dark. Drugs are messing with his sense of time, his priorities, and his relationships. How could he possibly forget about the beautiful woman waiting for him?”
A colourless life?
“Life is an experience to be enjoyed. Friends are there for us. Relationships enrich and add meaning to our lives. When we allow our true personalities to show through, our lives are bright and colourful. When we hide behind drugs we live a false life. A life that is lonely, withdrawn, isolated and friendless. It is a life without colour.”
Play your cards right
“My poster shows a hand in first person showing four cards, on the cards are the people who he cares most about. The title is “Play your cards right”, because he is going to choose which person he wants to hurt. The sub title is “cannabis affects more than your health”, this title means cannabis affects your relationships with the ones you care most about. I also showed a stoner because it is better than representing cannabis with a leaf.”
