Psychoactive Drugs’ Promotion in Virtual Communicative Environment

Abstract

The paper analyzes the specifics of psychoactive drugs’ promotion in virtual communicative environment (Russian-language Internet network). The author investigates methods of constructing a positive image of drugs and its integration into the system of consumer values. She shows that promotion of psychoactive drugs uses classical marketing technologies (segmentation of target markets, creating images of sellers and products, etc.) and social marketing strategies — “recreational” and “functional”. If the former, in particular, exploits the concepts of hedonism, creativity and exclusivity, the latter underlines the concepts of success and perfectionism. The author demonstrates the techniques of the normalization of drug using through attribution of the legal status, special designations, appealing to the authorities and various social groups. She illustrates the widespread use of falsifying facts and substitution, manipulation of information.