Fight the New Drug holds ‘Fight Night’
The USU Chapter of Fight the New Drug held their semi-annual “Fight Night” Thursday in the TSC Auditorium. Speaker Tyler Patrick of LifeSTAR gave a presentation, “The Effects of Pornography on Intimate Relationships.”
Fight the New Drug has been operating on the USU campus since January 2011 and has educated USU students and the community on the psychological harms of pornography. Once a semester, they hold a Fight Night to inform students how pornography affects the mind.
“93 percent of guys and 62 percent of girls are exposed before 18,” said Jacob McBride, president of the USU chapter of Fight the New Drug. He found this statistic from an online survey conducted by Penn State.
McBride said one third of USU students have purposefully looked at porn. He said he believes Fight the New Drug is important to USU students because they are trying to get the word out about pornography because it is as dangerous as a lot of drugs.
McBride said pornography is viewed as taboo and with a high stigma.
“Especially here in Utah, it’s something that people just don’t want to talk about,” said Scott Heninger, a sophomore majoring in psychology.
He said society views pornography as worse than other addictions.
“I would much more openly admit I’m addicted to marijuana publicly than I’m addicted to pornography,” he said.
Heninger said people don’t understand the chemical science of how pornography changes the brain. He said for those who become addicted, it’s hard to let go of because pornography addicts have a natural instinct to not want to admit their addiction.
McBride said Fight the New Drug’s goal is to raise awareness on the harms of pornography because it’s a powerful chemical addiction in the brain.
“It can literally shrink your frontal lobes and your entire cerebral cortex,” he said.
McBride said Fight the New Drug does not offer support groups or therapies: only education on the subject. He said his personal goal for the program is to include more of the community, especially high school and middle school students.
“They are the ones that are really in danger,” he said. “They are the ones that the pornography indu
stry is targeting.”
Fight the New Drug’s USU Chapter is funded by $200 a year. The funding goes to advertising and for events held each semester.
“I don’t know how much effect we’re having right now,” McBride said. “I’m just trying to see if I can increase the effectiveness by getting more people, getting them at a better age and then also trying to help everyone to tell everyone they know.”
Heninger hopes Fight the New Drug will open a way for USU students to get out of something that’s ruining their lives. Heninger said Fight the New Drug invites people struggling with pornography addictions by encouraging them to open up with other people who are struggling with the same issue.
“The biggest reason it’s a problem is because it’s a secret thing,” he said.
– janemiche13@gmail.com