<P> Understanding what drugs can do to your children, understanding peer pressure and understanding why they turn to drugs is...the first step in solving the problem . </P> <P> The "Just Say No" slogan was the creation of Robert Cox and David Cantor, advertising executives at the New York office of Needham, Harper & Steers / USA in the early 1980s . </P> <P> In 1982, the phrase "Just Say No" first emerged when Nancy Reagan was visiting Longfellow Elementary School in Oakland, California . When asked by a schoolgirl what to do if she was offered drugs, the First Lady responded: "Just say no ." Just Say No club organizations within schools and school - run anti-drug programs soon became common, in which young people were making pacts not to experiment with drugs . </P> <P> When asked about her efforts in the campaign, Nancy Reagan said: "If you can save just one child, it's worth it ." She traveled throughout the United States and several other nations, totaling over 250,000 miles (400,000 km). Nancy Reagan visited drug rehabilitation centers and abuse prevention programs; with the media attention that the first lady receives, she appeared on television talk shows, recorded public service announcements, and wrote guest articles . By the autumn of 1985, she had appeared on 23 talk shows, co-hosted an October 1983 episode of Good Morning America, and starred in a two - hour PBS documentary on drug abuse . </P>

When did just say no to drugs start