The Meth Project

Is the Meth Project having enough impact on today’s youth to deter them from trying this highly addictive drug? Today the experimentation with drugs is occurring among the younger generations that are at ages well before young adulthood. Not only is meth physically and mentally damaging, it is also a leading cause of increased crime rates. In an effort to tackle this ever growing problem, many believe that creating an intervention before addiction is the best place to start. The Meth Project uses graphic videos and photo imagery to ignite enough curiosity to research meth and avert people from drug use. The plan to address this problem in Colorado was a state wide advertising campaign launched in May, 2009 by Governor Bill Ritter and Attorney General John Suthers. The video ads introduced were aimed towards younger generations. The purpose of these campaigns are to frighten people away from methamphetamine and visually educate them on what meth can do. Demonstrating the adverse effects of meth, this campaign is very successful using a connection to the audience with emotional, logical and ethical petition.

The Meth Projects Official video Family, displays three teenage boys outside a front door they look normal and happy. Ringing the bell, the door opens then the emotions take over. The three teenage boys force entry into an unsuspecting family’s home. The mother gets choked while the dad gets hit on the head with glass. The couple's child enters the room and is immediately frightened as she is intimidated and screamed at. Viewing this video as a non-substance abuser it really ignites the fear of what people are capable of doing on drugs when they otherwise would not. Attracting the attention of the substance users, it depicts what road they have potential to travel. The advertisement demonstrates fear, anger and desperation all rooted from the use of meth. This is a way of persuading people to stay away from the drug by showing its negativity. It is also an encouragement for users to cease and desist if they don’t want to end up like the people in the ad. Advancing The Issue: Methamphetamines Impact, a featured ad posted in the Daily Press written by Dahleen Glanton, agrees that meth has a way of “altering lives” of even those who are exposed to the user on meth.

Reaching out towards the logos side of advertising the campaign has more fact implied imagery than full statements. During the campaign ad the boys have the effects of anger demonstrated by the use of meth. It also projects a crime being committed by meth users. According to the U.S. Department of Justice 32% of drug related offenses in Colorado were Meth-Related. The ad appealing to pathos, shows the boys in a different light once they reach the inside of the house. Clearly their physical appearance isn’t normal. Their eyes are sunken in and dark, their skin is blotchy with red soars and sweaty. They also have pale lips and decaying teeth. At the end of the video logic is re-introduced with voice that states, “This isn’t normal, but when you’re on meth it is.” Showing these vivid images of the physical toll  meth takes, as well as the emotional impact, touches on some of the factual information on the use of methamphetamine. Although this visual advertisement is clear that the 3 boys are on meth, to someone not informed about meth it would be hard to make a logical connection to all of the visuals. Encouraging people to learn about meth the ad asks “what do you know about meth,” and has The Meth Project written clearly as a point of reference to learn more. This I would say is a great way to inform people. It grabs their attention and leaves them with a way to educate themselves further on the topic.

Out of all the connections to make with an audience using pathos, logos and ethos, I believe the hardest one to define is the ethos. At the very end of the ad the Meth Project shows that they are supporting the ad and have more information to offer. Visiting the Meth Project's website I was able to obtain further information on the project. The Colorado Meth Project offers Colorado’s statistics, such as crime rate and percentage of the crimes committed. It includes information on meth’s costs added to the state due to foster care, and health systems. Provided on the Colorado's Meth Project website are the plans developed and how they are being implemented. Number figures are draw out to see the positive reactions to the harsh reality of the ads. In 2009 Bill Ritter and Attorney General John Suthers officially launched the campaign including: TV ads; Radio ads; Billboards, and Online Impressions.  The impact of the project was noted  by the 2011 Colorado Meth Use & Attitude Survey. Teens that see “great risk” in trying meth was at 88% which is twice more than recorded in 2009. An estimated 500,000 Coloradoans have seen the Meth Projects campaign.

The Meth Project is a nationwide program. Even though it cannot prohibit the use of meth entirely it has a reputable solution that proves to be effective in its messages conveyed to its audience.