Propaganda, through the dissemination of falsehoods and the exploitation of people’s fears and insecurities, poses a serious threat to the social fabric—both within and across nations. Unchecked, propaganda can drive societies down dark paths, consolidating power in the hands of the few at the expense of the many. To counter its dangers, societies must develop the ability to identify, scrutinise and expose propaganda in all its forms. This chapter examines one fruitful approach of analysing propaganda, while shedding light on a particularly harmful propaganda campaign: the “war on drugs”. We begin by considering the ideology and purpose behind this campaign, exploring the cultural, political and economic factors that shaped its emergence and trajectory. Next, we identify the propagandist and structure of the propaganda organisation, highlighting the central role of the US state, but also drawing attention to the numerous and varied actors that supported propaganda efforts. We then explore the techniques used to disseminate propaganda and assess their impact on target audiences. The final substantive section considers some attempts at counterpropaganda. We conclude with reflections on what propaganda studies can offer to criminology, and what criminological subject matter can offer to those interested in propaganda studies.