I was reading about the Montana Meth Project last week, both because we have family in Montana, and because we are acquaintances with someone whose relative was recently convicted of setting his house on fire and killing his small children for the insurance money (financial problems due to meth addiction).The statistics in Montana are mind-boggling (from the website):
*52% of children in foster care are there due to Meth. Cost to the state: $12 million a year.
*50% of adults in prison are there due to Meth-related crime. Cost to the state: $43 million a year.
*20% of adults in treatment are there for Meth addiction. Cost to the state: $10 million a year.
"The Montana Meth Project is a large-scale exercise in prevention, aimed at significantly reducing Meth use in Montana. The integrated program consists of an ongoing, research-based marketing campaign—supported by community outreach and public policy initiatives—that realistically and graphically communicate the risks of methamphetamine to the youth of Montana."
The project is having a dramatic impact on the numbers.
I watched some of the commercials, and I have to say that they were disturbing as hell. I can see how they would be effective. They aren't targeting established meth users (who probably wouldn't recognize themselves), but instead they are reaching out to teens who might be tempted to experiment.
There are critics who think the images are too brutal, and too graphic.
They are that. But if they are effective, I'm all for it.
What do you think?
The Montana Meth Project
As a side note, the commercial entitled "Parents" really freaked us out. There have been a few times in the last year when Hubby and I have had to literally put Big Kid out of the house when he ramped himself up and refused to take his meds. This video is eerily similar (minus the meth, but add a ton of foul language) to those episodes.
It haunts me.
19 comments:
I am all for these shock,but very true to life commercials. Working in an innercity school (and I don't mean to imply it happens just in inner cities because I know that is NOT true) but in my school I see many parents hooked on meth and it is so sad and frightening. The whole appearance changes, the face withdrawn, they start picking at their face and have huge marks on them and their teeth start to go, they literally wither away. Personality wise is even worse, so irrational, angry, anxious, mood swings and it changes so very quickly. It is so addictive and you get addictive so very quickly and they will do anything to get their hands on the meth. The children are so confused, I have had some in my office in tears, saying, "that is not my mom, I don't know who it is, something is wrong." I just think it is a HUGE problem and it is getting worse. I think any way to stop it or slow it down, shockingly true or hard to watch even is a good, good thing. I pray my oldest doesn't get involved in drugs, because the BP makes her so unhappy, I fear she may some day try to find happiness the wrong way. Right now I watch her like a hawk and do all the education I can, but when she is having a "biggie" and is not with me, I worry. Sorry to be so long winded, but this is a subject that is so important. Glad you brought it up.
This has been the biggest fear for my eldest (19).
Seen it elsewhere and Love it. It is brutal and graphic. And it needs to be.
Just once and everything else are pretty scary.
Scary commercials for scary drugs...I wonder why Meth is so prevalent in Montana??
Meth is prevalent everywhere and spreading. It's scary and it's deadly. I'm so thankful my kids made it through without feeling the need to experiment but some of their friends didn't, and some of them have destroyed their lives forever.
Those commercials certainly make a statement. I think kids need to see things like this.....because this is the reality of what can happen to them if they take the drugs. I pray I never have to deal with this!
These commercials killed me. I hope these are shown nationwide; whether meth is a problem in your town now or not, it will be soon.
I'm making my kids watch these TONIGHT!
drug abuse has been in this world since oh-i-don-know-when and believe me, drug abuser parents are the worst and the experience of being their kids are no fairy tales. I'm a living proof of one
Hi Attila,
I’ve heard of meth but never saw what a tragic toll it takes on those who use it until I looked at the “Meth Project” in Montana. These videos were devastating. I hope the other 49 States start similar campaigns ASAP to educate people to the dangers of using meth. Addictions to anything are formidable to overcome; hopefully these advertisements can thwart a lot of potential problems…
Happy 4th of July to you!!
I love the commercials! Those are awesome, but I don't think they would have kept me from trying drugs....
As far as how crazy people get on Meth I just don't get it. I tried it a couple times back in my coke days and I never felt high, never felt good from it, I just couldn't sleep a wink when I did it, one little line and up for 3 days, how is that fun??
As former foster parents, we saw first hand the devastation of meth. In our state, they estimate that 2/3 of the children in foster care are from birth families where one or both parents are on meth. One of our former foster kids, years after she left us and went back into the system, was found after 8 months as a runaway, trading sex for meth in a flop house. She was 14 at the time.
you were very very lucky deb....
I think Bathtub and Junkie Den are the worst.
Oh, ick. I did a lot of research on meth once and what it does to people is just disturbing. Absolutely disturbing.
This is a terrifying epidemic, meth is. I saw that HBO special called Montana Meth which I thought was frank and brutal but necessary. People need to recognize what they are playing with. I'm ok with those commercials.
Oh yes..
Nevada is awful too!! Mike says that 90% of crime is due to Meth..
it's awful... just awful..
I am soooo blessed my first son never did drugs or alcohol..
I am knocking hard on wood...
those were good - very pointed - very scary to kids... very scary to parents. Dennis and I went to a Meth lecture back in February, it was amazing what you don't know about it. Thanks for sharing...
Wow, those commercials are very shocking... and I am glad they are making a difference.
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