The Movimiento por la Paz (MPDL), in collaboration with Spain’s National Plan on Drugs and funded by the Ministry of Health, has launched a powerful new awareness campaign titled “Your new profile picture if you consume or traffic drugs abroad.” Aimed at young travellers, the campaign draws a stark contrast between dreamy holiday snapshots and the grim reality of getting arrested overseas for drug-related offences. What begins as a fun international adventure can quickly turn into a nightmare if poor decisions are made.

The campaign highlights that in February 2024 alone, 504 Spanish citizens were reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be detained abroad for drug-related offences. These are not rare or far-fetched cases—they involve regular people who made impulsive choices or underestimated the consequences. MPDL, through its long-running PADE program (Support for Spaniards Detained Abroad), has been helping both detainees and their families since 2010, witnessing first-hand the devastating impact of these avoidable situations.

With creative support from the agency Thankium, this campaign delivers a clear message: that split-second decisions can have lifelong consequences. Whether it’s the temptation to carry drugs or use them while traveling, the risk is never worth it. That perfect holiday selfie can quickly become a mugshot behind bars. The campaign warns: Don’t let your dream trip become your next profile picture from a prison cell.

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