ARIZONA METH PROJECT IS WORKING

Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard, Maricopa County Supervisor Don
Stapley and Navajo Nation first lady Vikki Shirley

Co-chairs of the Arizona Meth Project

Last week, we kicked off the second phase of the Arizona Meth
Project's media campaign. This is a milestone because Arizona is the
second state in the United States that has implemented this mass-media
youth prevention and education campaign featuring an evolution of
gritty ads that graphically depict the horrors of methamphetamine use
and anchored by the memorable "Not Even Once" slogan.

We started this campaign last April, following the great success
achieved by the Montana Meth Project, an effort that is now in its
second year. Since Montana launched its effort, workplace drug-testing
data shows that meth use has declined 70 percent and meth-related
crime has declined 53 percent.

We are hoping for similar positive results here in Arizona, but we
have a tough road ahead of us. The 2006 Arizona Youth Survey reported
that more than 4 percent of Arizona youths have used meth at least
once, twice the national average and the reason for creating the
Arizona Meth Project.

A separate youth survey conducted by the meth project this spring
showed that teens and young adults are not convinced of the dangers of
meth use. In fact, many responded that meth had beneficial uses, like
weight loss. This same survey revealed that one in six young adults
has tried the drug, one in 25 teens has tried the drug, and one in
four teens says friends would not give him or her a hard time for
trying meth.

With these types of numbers, it is no surprise that in Arizona 65
percent of child-abuse cases and 75 percent of property- and
violent-crime cases are linked to meth.

Rural counties are suffering more than urban areas in Arizona, and
some of our state's Native American communities are experiencing
serious problems. For example, the 2006 Arizona Youth Survey found
that 10.1 percent of eighth-, 10th- and 12th-graders in Navajo County
have used meth at least once. This number is higher than any other
county in the state.

Since its launch, the Arizona Meth Project has been well-received.
Recently, we unveiled the "Not Even Once Youth Pledge," a statewide
grass-roots manifestation of the prevention message. This effort
captured names and personal commentary from young people across
Arizona who committed themselves to never try meth even once.

The symbolic signing of the pledge was most importantly a public and
private acknowledgement of the meth problem in our community,
highlighting more than 10,000 participants statewide. The youth
comments written by pledge participants included poignant observations
and personal experience.

One young person wrote, "I have a baby brother that's a crystal-meth
baby. His mother took crystal meth. I will never take drugs." Another
young girl, whose very young age is evident by her penmanship and
spelling, writes, "Meth is verey bad for you body and it can mean deth
to you."

Such honest perspective and major response from young people reaffirms
that Phase 2 of the Arizona Meth Project is a much-needed prevention
effort.

The meth project public-awareness campaign was launched with $5.3
million in contributions from 10 Arizona counties, some private
dollars and the Arizona Attorney General's Office.

Continuation of the campaign beyond the end of the year will depend on
additional financial support from both the public and private sectors.

To keep on track, Phase 3 ads are scheduled to air in the spring of
2008.

Solving Arizona's methamphetamine problem will require a strong
commitment to a comprehensive approach that combines law enforcement,
prevention, education, treatment and support from the private sector.

The Arizona Meth Project wishes to acknowledge the support of the many
anti-meth coalitions across the state, the Arizona Meth Project's
advisory board members and the local leaders who are responsive to the
Meth problem in our state.