Pictured From left: Steve Wrone, Peggy Chiampas, and Ed Negron. Photos by Andrew Davis
Recognizing the danger that crystal meth poses to everyone, Prevention First—an Illinois non-profit organization committed to stopping drug use—hosted a press conference Dec. 15 that announced the launch of a pull-no-punches ad campaign.
The conference involved the joining of forces from several areas, including law enforcement and local government.
The advertisements were developed by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America and the White House Office of National Drug Policy. Chicago's Leo Burnett and New York's J. Walter Thompson are the firms that created them. ( Comcast has committed to air the spots over the next year; CLTV, WLS-7 and FOX have also stated that they will show the ads. )
Karel Ares, Prevention First's executive director, welcomed attendees and read a statement from Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was invited to attend but was unable to do so. 'I support [ this ] campaign ... [ which ] provides information to the public about real-life of what meth can do to people as well as the impact meth has on everyone in the community,' she read. Ares stressed that there is 'no panacea [ and ] no magic bullet; it takes all of us working together to keep citizens drug-free. Public-service messages are a critical part of this effort. They supplement the work we all do at the local level.'
Mike Townsend, co-founder and executive vice-president of Partnership for a Drug-Free America, conceded that some people still think of the 'This is your brain on drugs' campaign, but added that the program 'has come a long way since then. We've addressed every [ drug-related ] issue [ including ] heroin, ecstasy, steroid abuse, marijuana and prescription drugs.' He admitted that meth 'is probably the biggest challenge' they have faced. 'One of the things that makes it worse is that it has a broader appeal,' he said. 'Not only does it appeal to those who want to medicate the pain but it also appeals to those who want to achieve more. It has a short-term benefit of power, of being in control of your life, so a housewife with three kids and with a full-time job can get through the day.' Townsend also discussed the breadth of the negative consequences of using meth. 'It causes incredible physiological and psychological damage not only to the user but it can also damage the community. The toxicity from meth labs can spread to homes and can create tremendous pressure on emergency services.'
Townsend then talked about a plan to combat the comprehensive threat the drug poses, saying that the program is aimed at three different groups. One segment of the 'surround strategy,' as he called it, 'targets the community ( leaders and concerned citizens ) , who we want to educate about the drug and foster a climate of social intolerance of meth.' Townsend mentioned using the 'second-hand effect' approach regarding the drug, an approach that is very similar to the one involving the harmful secondary effects of cigarette smoking, a habit he contends decreased drastically once that program struck a chord with the public. The second group involves young adults and teens, a demographic that Townsend said is the most likely to try meth. Lastly, he stated that the program will target parents of younger teens; according to him, 1 in 5 has already been offered the drug.
Hard-hitting clips
Townsend then unveiled several PSAs that underscore how harmful meth can be—even to those who do not directly use the drug. One particularly effective clip referred to an individual named Jamie. Viewers see a female using meth in an apartment while a voiceover describes the effect that the toxic gasses have on Jamie, including bodily deterioration. The camera then moves from the user's place to the apartment directly above that has a little girl playing with blocks; it turns out that Jamie is the child.
Other clips are equally effective—with some being almost brutally raw. One such ad shows a person tweezing an eyebrow. Then the camera pans out to show that the other brow has been plucked to the point where it had bled. Then, a voiceover comments on how it is 'amazing what you can accomplish when you're on meth.'
'That was me'
Richard Sanders, the special agent in charge of the Chicago Region Drug Enforcement Administration, said that he is encouraged by what he has seen. Sanders, who has been a police officer for 34 years, said that people have to work together and that the problem will not be solved solely by putting people in jail. While he acknowledged that the department has to deal with all drugs, he added that the situation with meth is definitely 'a real problem.' He conveyed his belief that, while he does not think drugs can be totally eradicated, the meth situation can be 'kept in check.' Sanders also talked about agencies coming together on Sept. 11, 2001—a day on which he saw a plane hit the Pentagon, 300 yards from his office. Similarly, he stated, people need to unite to confront the epidemic of meth usage.
Steve Wrone, policy advisor to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, talked about the Methamphetamine Precursor Control Act, which is scheduled to be enacted next month. [ Madigan has been extremely active in getting meth laws passed. ] 'Illinois will join 10 other states in getting meth's key ingredient, pseudoephedrine, out of the hands of those who abuse it,' he said. He also commented that the measure should alleviate the meth lab problem that pervades the state and, in turn, should ease things 'for law enforcement, local government and social-service agencies.' Lastly, he added that Madigan is 'looking forward to a stronger statewide focus on prevention efforts.'
Peggy Chiampas of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office talked about its commitment to helping with the efforts to halt meth use. 'We have found that it is imperative not only to educate our assistant state's attorneys but we are also committed to training law enforcement officers and the judges that we present our cases in front of,' she said. Chiampas also mentioned other outreach programs, such as visiting high schools—and added that the PSAs are 'exactly what we need. We need to let our youth and our community know what the effects are.'
If the facts uttered by the presenters and the images in the clips were not enough, then the emotion conveyed in Ed Negron's voice brought the reality of the meth epidemic home for the conference attendees. At one point, the recovering meth addict and counselor-in-training referred to one of the PSAs shown, in which an inmate is reading about the damage he caused those around him. 'The kid in the jail cell ... that was me,' Negron said as his eyes teared up slightly, 'and the person plucking his eyebrows [ reminds ] me of a dear friend of mine.' He also recalled his descent into his own personal hell—a fall that involved everything from hallucinations to the deception of others. 'Within a matter of six months, I lost 30 pounds, I lost my apartment ... but, most importantly, I lost myself. [ After a while, ] I did not know what it was to be sober. I kept crystal meth by my night stand.'
Negron also said that getting arrested was the best thing that happened to him. He has decided to tell his story, he said, because—as his sponsor told him—'I wasn't ashamed to let people know what a mess I was ... and now, I shouldn't be ashamed to let people know that I'm taking care of myself.'
Meth Resources
— General information: www.drugfree.org/meth
— Free brochures: Prevention First Clearinghouse, ( 800 ) 252-7951, ext. 128
— Local task force: www.CrystalBreaks.org
— Research/studies: Prevention First, ( 312 ) 988-4646, ext. 226
— Law enforcement stats: Stephanie Snyders, ( 217 ) 785-6623
— Treatment: www.dhs.state.il.us/oasa or ( 866 ) 213-0548
— Law enforcement Web site: www.IllinoisAttorneyGeneral.gov/methnet
