Aspiring young film-makers highlight the hidden influences behind drug abuse

“Hidden influences don’t look dangerous. They look like friends. They sound like jokes. They feel like acceptance. But sometimes, friends can be harmful, jokes can hurt and acceptance isn’t worth losing everything for.”

These were the hard-hitting lines that closed out The Unseen, a monologue video about the influences behind drug abuse that are easy to miss – the kind that can slip in through a group chat, a social media feed or a hangout with friends.

Lines like “Come on, just once”, “Everyone’s doing it” and “Don’t be so boring” can seem harmless in the moment, but can be the first step down a lonely path of drug abuse.

The short film by The Shadows, a team from Kent Ridge Secondary School, won the Youth category for those aged 12 to 16 at this year’s Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) DrugFreeSG Video Competition. The awards ceremony was held on Oct 24 at the SPH Auditorium. 

The team earned praise from the judges for its visual storytelling and realistic portrayal of how hidden peer influences can shape choices.

For the students, it was an eye-opening journey. 

Addiction can take a little more from a person with each step, the team said, and the first “small” step is worth thinking twice about. They also wanted audiences to notice how easily a casual remark from a close friend can start that step.

“I used to find it difficult to understand why someone would give in to peer pressure, because I felt that I wouldn’t be easily influenced. But while writing the script, we realised how easily one can be influenced by their peers,” said Zen.

The teacher who oversaw the project, Bennedic Ng added: “Through the thinking process, you can see that the students have a strong grasp of Singapore’s drug control measures. The competition serves to reinforce what they already know, which is a good thing, while giving them the opportunity to deliver the message in a refreshing way.”

When influence comes from someone you trust

In the Young Adult category for those aged 17 to 25, a psychological thriller-style short film titled The Push created by ThePugs, clinched top honours.

Inspired by true stories, it shows a teenager who perceives drug use as harmless fun and pressures his girlfriend to join him, despite her hesitation. When she does not respond well, he blames a dark figure, a manifestation of his own mind that shields him from the truth about what his recklessness has cost.

His girlfriend eventually dies from drug abuse, highlighting how harmful influences can come from those closest to us, and have devastating consequences. 

The film won for standing out in terms of technique, artistry and gripping storytelling.

“During our research, we found out that people are more likely to be influenced by those closest to us. If a friend offers you drugs, you have to know where to draw that fine line between a good influence and a bad one,” shared Ondrei during the ceremony’s sharing session. 

Researching the hidden influences of drug abuse

This year’s DrugFreeSG Video Competition theme: Exposing and Preventing the Hidden Influences That Destroy Lives, called on participants to uncover how everyday influences – from peers and online spaces to media, pop culture and everyday conversations – can shape permissive attitudes and normalise drug abuse. 

The call for entries opened on May 15 and closed on Sept 14, with a total of 112 submissions received via drugfree.sg. More than just a video competition, it served as a platform for young people to advocate for a drug-free Singapore through their lenses.

This year, a research component was added to the judging criteria to challenge students to look beyond the surface of drug abuse, examine how subtle influences shape attitudes and decisions, and question the credibility of their sources – whether a friend or a social media post – so they can better protect themselves and their peers.

Jason James Riley, associate director of video in SPH Media’s content and solutioning division, who sat on this year’s judging panel, was impressed by the number of young people who stepped forward to take part.

He said: “Film-making is a time-consuming craft that requires a high level of skill, and drug abuse is not an easy subject to tackle, especially for students as young as 12.”

Understanding the influences that shape perspectives

In his opening remarks at the ceremony, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong also stressed the need to understand the modern pressures youths face, highlighting that influences can come from many sources, including peers, social media and popular culture.

Tong gave the example of celebrities who discussed cannabis culture in a relaxed setting on a show, where paraphernalia were also featured.

“They talked about it. They used it, and such casual portrayals by prominent personalities can make drug use really appear ordinary, acceptable, maybe even fashionable, and cool,” he said.

“These messages may not directly tell someone that you should take drugs, try it or abuse drugs, but you know what it is. Over time, the repeated exposure you see, you hear about it once, twice, several times, it just lowers your mental risk perception and makes these harmful behaviours seem like they are just normal.”

Addressing the competition participants, he said: “Your videos reveal how harmful influences can really hide in ordinary situations, showing that awareness, having the awareness and the frame of mind, the critical thinking, the courage and the peer support can really change outcomes.”

CNB’s deputy director of partnerships and outreach at DrugFreeSG Office, Kaye Chow, said young people today navigate a complex environment in which their attitudes and decisions can be shaped by peers, social media and online content, and understanding how they see these influences is important to prevention efforts.

“The competition reminds us that meaningful engagement begins with listening to young people and understanding the world they live in,” she said.

“The insights can help CNB communicate the harms of drug abuse in ways that are relevant to them, and equip them to make informed decisions and resist negative influences.”

Like their children, parents of the participants said they learnt a lot about how a person may end up taking drugs.

Tan Cheow Nee, 38, whose daughter is a member of winning team The Shadows, said she found the video competition useful for highlighting the dangers of hidden influences.

“Whatever influences others have on a person, what matters most is yourself. You have to fight with yourself,” she added, referring to the importance of overcoming one’s own impulses and taking personal responsibility for one’s choices.

For more information and to check out all the winning entries, visit the official DrugFreeSG Video Competition site.