Anti Meth commercials

[Erin]

Here in Illinois, meth is a real problem. Mostly due to the availability of anhydrous ammonia used by farmers as a low cost fertilizer and also as a main ingredient in producing meth. I belive this area that I live in, rich black soil for farming, is the fouth highest/worst affected area in the country.

Well, while watching American Idol (and I''ve heard, during wrestling programs - trying to reach that young demographic) the state of Illinois has been running these commercials.

http://www.illinoismethproject.org/View_Ads/index.php#

So far I saw the first one, girl in the shower during Tuesday''s Idol and the laundry mat one on Wednesday. They are freaky like in a horror movie type of way.

What do you think? Will they deter kids from trying - just once?

 

[lumpkin]

Date: 2/14/2008 9:42:44 AM
Author:Starset Princess
Here in Illinois, meth is a real problem. Mostly due to the availability of anhydrous ammonia used by farmers as a low cost fertilizer and also as a main ingredient in producing meth. I belive this area that I live in, rich black soil for farming, is the fouth highest/worst affected area in the country.

Well, while watching American Idol (and I''ve heard, during wrestling programs - trying to reach that young demographic) the state of Illinois has been running these commercials.

http://www.illinoismethproject.org/View_Ads/index.php#

So far I saw the first one, girl in the shower during Tuesday''s Idol and the laundry mat one on Wednesday. They are freaky like in a horror movie type of way.

What do you think? Will they deter kids from trying - just once?

I don''t know if they will or not. Probably some kids will think twice. When I was in 7th grade I read "Go Ask Alice" and it definitely kept me from wanting to get into LSD. Some kids will probably think it''s propaganda and others will decide it''s a scary place they don''t want to go. I agree the commercials are creepy, but maybe they need to be.

 

[togal]

wow...those are powerful ads. I guess that''s what''s needed to keep kids from trying it. Hope it works.

 

[Miscka]

I have seen similar ads here in KY. Honestly, I think they are terrifying. I feel like at least they are avoiding the cheese factor of some other anti-drug ads. I think it is easy for kids to role their eyes at ads aimed at drug use, but these are kinda bone-chilling.

 

[Erin]

I agree that in order to reach teens you really have to take into consideration the ''cool'' factor (okay I was born in the 70''s so I still think ''cool'' is ''cool'') or whatever word kids respond to. You really aren''t going to get kids to avoid drugs by reminding them that the honor student in a Hannah Montana tshirt thinks jamming out with her flute is her anti-drug.

 

[Miscka]

Date: 2/14/2008 11:15:51 AM
Author: Starset Princess
I agree that in order to reach teens you really have to take into consideration the ''cool'' factor (okay I was born in the 70''s so I still think ''cool'' is ''cool'') or whatever word kids respond to. You really aren''t going to get kids to avoid drugs by reminding them that the honor student in a Hannah Montana tshirt thinks jamming out with her flute is her anti-drug.

ROFLMAO. That was what I was trying to say, you said it better.

 

[laine]

This is my favorite Meth PSA commercial, it makes me laugh every time I see it (never seen it on tv though). There are alot on youtube--the ones you''ve seen, Starset, are definitely some of the most powerful. I hope they help, meth is some scary stuff!

 

[door knob solitaire]

In my area...they remind that the meth craze isn''t age related. There are many stay at home MOMs that do it! Can you imagine.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 2/14/2008 12:43:48 PM
Author: laine
This is my favorite Meth PSA commercial, it makes me laugh every time I see it (never seen it on tv though). There are alot on youtube--the ones you''ve seen, Starset, are definitely some of the most powerful. I hope they help, meth is some scary stuff!

Ugh, that song is now stuck in my head. "ah meth, ah meth. . ."

 

[Erin]

SDL, thank you for sharing. I''m sorry about your sister.

 

[Angel7]

Date: 2/14/2008 1:22:53 PM
Author: Starset Princess
SDL, thank you for sharing. I''m sorry about your sister.

Ditto SDL..I''m very sorry.

Being in Illinois myself, I see these commericals costantly and yes, I think they are very strong and hopefuly the image sticks with these teens. They stick with me and I''ve never done a drug in my life..hopefully it is reaching the youth and deters them.
Seeing the truth in what something can do can be very powerful.....

 

[Miscka]

SDL, I am so sorry to hear about your sister. Good for you for sharing your story. I think hearing real stories and seeing ads like this (that may be a little too "real" for some peoples comfort) are as effective as deterents get. Hugs!

 

[Fancy605]

Date: 2/14/2008 1:08:09 PM
Author: door knob solitaire
In my area...they remind that the meth craze isn''t age related. There are many stay at home MOMs that do it! Can you imagine.

That''s how it is where I work. The parents do it as much as the kids.

Here''s one of the scariest things I''ve overheard my students say:

8th grade girl #1: You''re so lucky to be skinny; you''ll never have to do meth.
8th grade girl #2: Whatever. I''m not THAT skinny.

 

[LegacyGirl]

That Faces of Meth thing is a real eye opener I''m surprised that doesn''t deter more people.

 

[Keepingthefaith21]

Wow. Wow. Wow.

We do not have commercials like that out here. I''m not even sure I''ve seen a sigle anti-meth commercial (I''m from MA). We have a ton of anti-pot commercials though (which I am sure, given the number of colleges we have around here, is the most commonly found substance). However, I don''t watch much TV (pretty much only sports) so I don''t know if I am missing something.

I''m still a little weirded out by those commercials. I hope they give kids the same uncomfortable feelings I got watching them!

 

[somethingshiny]

We're constantly hearing of Meth busts throughout our area (IL). In fact, a couple years ago a priest was busted for cooking in the rectory. My brother works at FS (which is an anhydrous plant) and wears protective masks and clothing to go near it. How can people seriously put it in their bodies?? The teeth and disgusting breakouts is what really gets me. So many women do it to be thin, but having gaping wounds and yellow teeth doesn't phase them.

Maybe I have less tolerance for this kind of thing than some. I it when people say "well, I admire him so much for quitting." Are you kidding me? The ones I admire are the ones who've never tried any of it! Unfortunately, I only know 4 people who've never tried any kind of . My mom, my sis, myself, and my best friend.

As far as deterring the use, I don't know. In my area, kids and s are well-aware before they start, yet they choose to anyway.

 

[Fancy605]

Date: 2/15/2008 9:37:02 PM
Author: somethingshiny
We''re constantly hearing of Meth busts throughout our area (IL). In fact, a couple years ago a priest was busted for cooking in the rectory. My brother works at FS (which is an anhydrous plant) and wears protective masks and clothing to go near it. How can people seriously put it in their bodies?? The teeth and disgusting breakouts is what really gets me. So many women do it to be thin, but having gaping wounds and yellow teeth doesn''t phase them.


Maybe I have less tolerance for this kind of thing than some. I it when people say ''well, I admire him so much for quitting.'' Are you kidding me? The ones I admire are the ones who''ve never tried any of it! Unfortunately, I only know 4 people who''ve never tried any kind of . My mom, my sis, myself, and my best friend.


As far as deterring the use, I don''t know. In my area, kids and s are well-aware before they start, yet they choose to anyway.

I don''t have much tolerance for it at all either. I mean--around here the common recipe is sudafed, acetone, and motor oil (our principal made us learn about it because he said that teachers are the only ones in the classrooms who don''t know exactly what it''s made). I''m not sure why that mixture ever seemed like a good idea to ANYONE. And P.S. it also smells distinctly like cat urine. What a lovely odor to be carrying around all day. We are supposed to turn any students who smell like that over to the office immediately. I mean surely people aren''t dense enough not to realize that they are not immune to all the awful side effects. It seems like the kids seeing their parents'' teeth rotting out would make them want to stay away from it... but it doesn''t.

 

[Elmorton]

There's also a Faces of Meth documentary (btw, it's old...from the mid-90's? - amazing how long Meth has been an unaddressed problem in the US) that airs every now and then on PBS - it's so incredibly moving when they flash the faces - how much their mugshots change even after 3 mos and especially the ones after 2 or 3 years.

ETA: The bathtub one is CREEEEEEEEPY. Unfortunately, most studies in drug and alcohol prevention show that scare tactics aren't effective with teens - and I'm afraid that the perception could be that this is overdramatized. If only kids (and adults!) knew how real those haunting faces truly are!

 

[iheartscience]

Wow, those are pretty good, actually. I don''t know if they''ll deter kids from trying it, though. The problem with teenagers is that they think they''re invincible.

I never did drugs, but I know I felt invincible when I was a teenager when it came to driving fast, riding with my friends who drove like maniacs, bridge-jumping, etc. I don''t know what will prevent kids from doing stuff like meth.

It kind of blows my mind that people ever do drugs like that. I''m always like ''How does anyone decide to rail a line of cocaine?!'' I just don''t get it.