Toronto Crime Stoppers launched its first public service campaign today that provokes recreational or party drug users to become more vigilant about MDMA, popularly known as ecstasy or Molly. Warning consumers, “Molly is not the drug you think it is,” the new awareness-building initiative features a video, parodying a cooking show, where a drug lab “cook” shares his recipe for Molly laced with methamphetamine and bath salts.

“After the tragic loss of two youth that was linked to party drugs at the VELD Music Festival this past summer and recent seizures of ecstasy pills containing methamphetamine, we felt compelled to raise awareness about this issue to help make our communities safer,” says Sean Sportun, vice chair, Toronto Crime Stoppers. “MDMA pills don’t come with a list of ingredients and since they can be cut with anything from LSD to caffeine, users can never be certain of what they are getting.” 

The “Cookin’ with Molly” creative, developed pro-bono by Toronto Crime Stoppers’ agency of record, DDB Canada Toronto, was unveiled at a Toronto Police news conference today to commemorate Crime Stoppers month.  Targeting people between the ages of 15 and 25, the video is currently running online and is supported by preroll, newspaper and transit shelter ads, out of home advertising, and a social media outreach program. The creative drives consumers to www.cookinwithmolly.com, which offers additional content and shareable assets.

“These party-type drugs have been a growing concern, and Toronto Crime Stoppers wanted to tackle this head on without being heavy-handed, so the cooking show format is intended to be tongue-in-cheek,” says Craig Ferguson, senior art director, DDB Canada Toronto.  “At the same time, this creative still allows us to educate people on the harmful, hidden ingredients found in MDMA which was our key objective.”

The online film is directed by Michael Downing of Partners Film.