Meth Project Advertisements Selected for National Prevention Campaign

Meth Project Advertisements Selected for National Prevention Campaign

White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to Include Meth Project Ads as Part of New Anti-Methamphetamine Initiative

PALO ALTO, Calif., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Meth Project announced today that its award-winning television advertisements have been selected by the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy to be included in a new national Meth prevention campaign.

The Anti-Meth Campaign was unveiled today by ONDCP Director John Walters, Congressman Rick Larsen (D-WA), chairman of the House Meth Caucus, and Congressman Dave Reichert (R-WA) at a press conference in Seattle. Coordinated through the ONDCP's National Youth Anti-Drug Campaign, the prevention campaign includes advertising and public education outreach. It is designed to raise awareness about the dangers of Meth and provide information about the effectiveness and availability of Meth treatment. The main target audience for the Campaign is young adults, ages 18 to 34.

Since the Montana Meth Project began, the state went from #5 in the nation to #39 in terms of Meth use. Meth-related crime has dropped and positive workplace testing has declined by more than 70%.

"Thanks to the combined efforts of Federal, State, and local officials, as well as community and private sector organizations like the Meth Project, there has been significant progress against this country's methamphetamine problem," Walters said. "But in certain areas of this country, Meth continues to have devastating effects on users, their families, and communities. By bringing a strong and compelling prevention campaign to other parts of the country, we can continue to raise awareness about the extreme negative consequences associated with this drug. This Campaign is an important step in our ongoing effort against Meth use."

ONDCP is launching its Anti-Meth Campaign in eight States where Meth prevalence and treatment admissions rates are high: Alaska, California, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Oregon, and Washington. The Campaign is expected to run through March 2008 in those markets, and will extend to Alabama, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio, Utah, and Wyoming through print advertising, and nationally through news media outreach and online resources. Four of the Meth Project's print and broadcast ads will be featured in the Campaign. Each began airing in Montana in 2006, and are now airing in Arizona as part of the Arizona Meth Project's media campaign. The ads can be viewed at http://www.methproject.org/.

"ONDCP is providing an extraordinary service by taking this campaign to states that are experiencing the devastating effects of methamphetamine use, and we are honored to be a part of it," said Nitsa Zuppas, executive director of the Meth Project. "Montana's ad campaign has been extremely successful. Over the past two years Montana has made considerable progress in dealing with its Meth epidemic. Our public education campaign is working, people are talking about the problem, and kids are getting the message."

The Meth Project first launched in Montana in 2005 as the Montana Meth Project, and has demonstrated impressive results. Since its inception, Meth-related crime in Montana has dropped by nearly 53%, and workers testing for Meth have declined by 70%, the largest drop in the country. The success and innovative approach of the Meth Project's programs led to a recent citation by the White House as a model for the nation.

The Meth Project oversees individual state programs currently running in Montana, Illinois, Arizona, and Idaho, providing an organization and governance model, public service messaging, a media planning model, measurement methodology, and public outreach initiatives. Additional states are expected to launch similar programs in the coming year.

About the Meth Project

The Meth Project is a national non-profit organization, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, aimed at significantly reducing first-time Meth use through public service messaging, public policy, and community outreach. First implemented in Montana as the Montana Meth Project, the program has demonstrated significant results in changing attitudes and behaviors toward Meth. The Meth Project is funded by a grant from the Siebel Foundation. For more information, visit http://www.methproject.org/.

Media Contacts: Jessica del Mundo Sarah Ingram
GolinHarris GolinHarris
213-438-8772 213-438-8721
jdelmundo@golinharris.comsingram@golinharris.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: The Meth Project

CONTACT: Jessica del Mundo, +1-213-438-8772, jdelmundo@golinharris.com,
or Sarah Ingram, +1-213-438-8721, singram@golinharris.com, both of
GolinHarris, for The Meth Project

Web site:

http://www.methproject.org/

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