If You Can’t Stop Supply, Kill Demand
The Montana Meth Project campaign, launched two years ago by billionaire philanthropist Tom Seibel, is absolutely horrifying to watch. But it’s working. Big time. If you missed the Nightline segment on the effort, it’s worth checking out (it includes the commercials).
The goal is to stop a generation from using meth. And in just two years, teen meth use in Montana has been cut by nearly half, while abuse in neighboring states is on the rise. Positive workplace drug tests are down by 70 percent, and 96 percent of kids polled say they have discussed meth with a parent. The project has been such a smashing success, 10 other states are poised to copy the campaign, and federal money will help produce new ads.
This gritty and powerful private sector campaign is a long way from the simplicity of the government’s metaphoric fried egg “this is your brain on drugs” ad campaign of old. The shear horrific nature of the ravages of meth use shown in the spots scares the crap out of me and hopefully every other sane human who sees just what that stuff can do.
This post was written by: Kim Mickelsen