Missouri has always been at or near the top of the list when it comes to people addicted to methamphetamines. And unlike other drugs, meth carries a double risk; it's hazardous to take and to make. A long overdue new campaign is aiming to educate the public about the dangers children face in homes used as meth labs and to get help for those kids who are trapped in a dangerous and deplorable situation.
The folks in Montana decided it was time to take the gloves off. In a series of hard-hitting, and shocking ads, they're telling young people that using meth can lead to all kinds of unpleasant consequences. The first round showed the direct impact the drug has on the user, like hallucinations and a mouth full of rotten teeth. The newest ads show the impact on the user's family and friends. A mother is beaten. A girlfriend is prostituted for a hit. This isn't just using a frying egg to represent your brain on drugs. It's gritty, it's blunt, and it's working.
The campaign organizers that at least 70% of Montana's teenagers are seeing these ads at least three times a week. The ads themselves have won all kinds of awards, including recent honors at the Cannes festival. More important, the message seems to be getting across: Montana is one of the regions where meth use is declining. These ads send a clear message that trying this dangerous drug, even once, can have all kinds of horrible, real-world consquences.
Perhaps it's time for everyone in society to take the gloves off and expose the harsh realities of drug use. We're linking to some of the print, radio and television ads below. Some of them are not for the squeamish, but maybe that's the point.
PRINT ADS:
Sister Girlfriend Mother Sharing Hallucinations Hookup Lipstick
Bathroom Sink Jail Emergency
TELEVISION ADS: RADIO ADS:
(these require Quicktime)
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