42 STATIONS, 30 MINUTES, 1 MESSAGE ABOUT METH THAT YOU SHOULDN'T MISS

There is a battle our nation is losing. Child by child, family by
family, neighborhood by neighborhood, city by city, state by state.
And we're losing it because most people don't even realize that we're at war.

The enemy is described as an epidemic, a plague . . . a weapon of
mass destruction. It's methamphetamine, most commonly known as crystal meth.

On Tuesday night, the entire state of Arizona will get an
unprecedented opportunity to fight back through the airing of a
regionally customized half-hour documentary called Crystal Darkness.
Through the extraordinary generosity of Arizona broadcasters, the
program will air simultaneously on every television station in the
state at 6:30 p.m. and will be available in simulcast on many radio
stations, as well. A special Spanish-language version will air at 5
p.m. that same evening.

The Arizona Crystal Darkness Campaign follows events in Reno, Las
Vegas, San Diego and the state of Oregon in 2007, and Sacramento, El
Paso, the state of New Mexico and Juarez, Mexico, earlier this year.
About 25 other cities and states are lining up to have a campaign in
their regions.

It's Arizona's turn up to bat, and it promises to be the largest
Crystal Darkness Campaign to date. Never before has there been such
great media participation. Never before has there been such a broad
communitywide effort. Thanks to the efforts of local organizers, it
will set a new model for other campaigns throughout the country.

Can a drug really destroy a nation?

This one can - and is in the process of quietly and effectively doing
so right now. Forty-nine out of 50 states are struggling with a meth
crisis. Rhode Island is the lone exception, although surely the
barbarians are already climbing over the gate.

Law enforcement, social services, judiciary and recovery
professionals everywhere will tell you that it has strapped resources
in the community beyond the breaking point and that the water is
spilling dangerously over the dam.

As severe as the problem is here in the United States, it is a global
epidemic with the impact of the drug nearly rivaling ours in South
America, Europe and Africa. Asia is suffering the most; it is home to
more than half of the world's meth users.

Are your children immune to the threat because of a great upbringing?

Not a chance. This drug indiscriminately attacks 4.0
grade-point-average students, Boy Scouts, cheerleaders, altar boys
and star athletes, just as it does at-risk youths living in dire poverty.

The meth marketers are now reaching into elementary schools and are
packaging the extremely addictive drug with Mickey Mouse stickers and
adding grape and strawberry flavors.

The technology we've provided our kids is allowing these death
peddlers easy access into our homes, with the new marketing strategy
selling drugs directly through text-messaging and Internet social sites.

Think your kids are up studying late? You better make sure.

The sad and bitter reality is that your perfect, well-loved,
well-groomed child is just one meth hit away from heading down the
fast track toward theft, prostitution and total destruction of the
family. How do I know? I've interviewed many, many kids - just like
yours - and they all say, "I never thought it could happen to me."

Worse yet, I've interviewed many parents who had full-blown meth
addicts living in their homes for many months and sometimes years
before they discovered what was happening. These parents suffering
from an affliction - equal parts ignorance and denial - enabled their
child to suffer a slow death.

The good news is that there is hope.

Although it's very challenging, there is recovery from meth
addiction. In fact, recovering meth addicts are some of the finest
people I've ever met. Not only do they have a profound appreciation
of the little things of life that many of us often take for granted,
but most also live out the motto "No one is left behind." They
dedicate the remainder of their lives to rescuing others.

Since the first Crystal Darkness documentary aired in Reno, we've
seen a measured drop in crime, a sharp decrease in meth labs and
reduction in reported meth use among teens. Stories of changed lives
have been innumerable.

One note that we received was from an 11-year-old girl who wrote,
"Thank you for showing the Crystal Darkness program. Now I have the
courage to talk to my Mom about her Meth problem."

In Oregon, at the phone center following the airing of that
documentary, a suicide call that came in resulted in the individual
checking into a recovery facility that night. Two months later, he
was on stage sharing a message of hope for others that recovery works.

The road hasn't been without a few bumps.

After a brief stop for coffee on our first day of filming in
Sacramento on a day of heavy rain, we returned to our car to discover
shattered glass and water pouring into the vehicle.

We quickly discovered the thieves had grabbed our brand new main
video camera with footage we had shot in the morning. Fortunately, in
their haste, they left our second camera and most of our equipment.

That day, discouraged, soaking wet and haunted by the irony that our
camera was most likely stolen by a meth addict, we limped our way
through the shoot and ended up with some of the strongest interviews
we ever had.

Through our journeys, we've seen miracle upon miracle as these
campaigns have brought people and communities together like nothing
else. As a man of faith, and realizing I've had little to do with the
success, I believe it's God reaching out his hand to provide healing
to the land and to his people.

It is Arizona's turn now, and I believe many in this fine state will
forever mark April 15, 2008, as the day when they were freed from the
slavery of meth. There will surely be many, many stories to share.

I already have my Arizona story.

My 9-year-old daughter joined me for a recent evening video-editing
session. As we finished one particularly moving section of the
Arizona documentary, she took off her headset and, turning to me,
spoke in a very serious and sincere tone: "Daddy, I would NEVER try meth."

Wouldn't you like to hear that from your child?

Is Arizona ready to fight back?