MONTANA SHOWS HOW TO DIVERT KIDS FROM METH

WOLF CREEK, Mont. - Meth is wreaking havoc in Montana.

It is destroying the lives of our young people. It is tearing at the
fabric of our communities.

It is straining the limits of the law enforcement, prison and foster
care systems. The prisons are literally overflowing with meth users. The
social costs are staggering. The human costs are incalculable.
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Meth is frequently called "the devil's drug" by users. Broadly
available. Affordable priced. Highly toxic. Almost unbelievably
addictive. Users soon reject everything that presents itself as an
impediment to more meth use: parents, family, friends, church and school.

The Montana Meth Project is a large-scale exercise in prevention,
aimed at significantly reducing the prevalence of methamphetamine use.
We developed an ongoing, research-based marketing campaign, supported
by community outreach and public policy initiatives, to realistically
and graphically communicate the risks of meth use to the youths of
Montana. The campaign's core message: "Not Even Once," speaks directly
to the highly addictive nature of the drug.

The goal of the Montana Meth Project's messaging is to equip young
people with the facts, in the hope of fostering better educated
consumers, so they can make more-informed product-consumption
decisions when faced with the opportunity to try meth.

We conducted extensive research to determine what young people will
and won't listen to. Based on this information, we produced ads that
speak to kids in ways they understand. In ways they are prepared to
listen.

Beginning last September, we launched a large-scale, statewide public
messaging campaign across TV, radio, billboards, newspapers and the
Internet. We target our messages to the most vulnerable Montanans, 12-
to 17-year-olds, and reach 70-90 percent of that audience three times
a week with meth prevention messaging. You can view these ads at
www.montanameth.org. (http://www.montanameth.org.

In less than one year since campaign launch, the Montana Meth Project
has attracted more than 125 teen and adult volunteers, who have made
more than 100 presentations to 12,000 Montanans. Community groups,
service clubs, corporations and private individuals are spontaneously
raising money to help fund the Montana Meth Project's efforts. The
public support has been universal. There have been 725 news stories
about the campaign, and we've had 2.6 million page views on our Web
sites, including the teen-focused www.noteven (http://www.noteven)
once.com.

The initial results are encouraging. We are seeing significant
increases in the perception of risk associated with meth use. At least
80 percent of teens now believe meth use will cause brain damage. The
same percentage, 80 percent, believe it results in unwanted sex. About
76 percent believe it will lead to stealing. And 59 percent now
understand it causes tooth decay. These perceived risks have increased
as much as 33 percent since our campaign began. We are making progress.

The most interesting, and perhaps the most valuable, change is the
substantial increase in the frequency of parent-child communications
about meth. Studies have shown that teens who have frequent
discussions about the dangers of drugs with their parents are much
less likely to use than those who don't talk with their parents. In
the past year, 93 percent of mothers have talked to their kids about
meth. There has been a 44 percent increase in the number of teens
having two or more discussions with their parents about meth.

Whether kids choose to try meth has to do with the relative perception
of risks and benefits, as well as societal norms. Basically, is it
cool? The Montana Meth Project is beginning to make it uncool to do
meth. Attitudes are changing. Kids all over Montana are wearing our
black "Not Even Once" wristbands. And now, teens from Butte to
Browning are creating anti-meth art around the state this summer in
our "Paint the State" art contest, www.paintthestate.org.

Not unlike Montana, Arizona has a critical problem with
methamphetamine. The governor, the attorney general and the county
commissioners of Arizona have declared meth of the state's most
serious problems. It is clear that the leadership in Arizona is
committed to addressing this social need. It is going to do something
about it.

At the request of state and county leaders in Arizona, we have been
engaged in active discussions in recent months to see if we can find
ways to apply the learning, messaging and programs from the Montana
Meth Project to help address the problem in Arizona. It has become
apparent that there are a number of opportunities to accomplish this.

Large-scale meth prevention is beginning to work in Montana. We are
putting a dent in this enormous problem. There is reason to be
encouraged. But we have a long way to go in Montana, Arizona and
around the country.