MontanaWithKids.com

A study released last December refuted the effectiveness of the “Montana Meth Project”. With the 2009 Legislative Session approaching, MMP will soon be fighting for its fat slice of the budget pie to continue radio, television and billboard advertisements, even though the presence of which have only witnessed an increase in meth use among teens and adults.

The study was conducted by David Erceg-Hurn, a PhD student at Western Australia University. According to his report, MMP has not been effective in preventing meth use and has, in some instances, increased abuse due to heightened awareness in the community. In effect, the study finds that the “don’t use meth” ads, are essentially ads that raise the profile of meth among youngsters who are often taught untrue or misleading information about it through the school systems.

Jake, a 13-year-old we caught up with in a park in Helena said, “I never even heard of it [meth] until I saw the signs.”

In a press release from the Society for Prevention Research, Erceg-Hurn said, “Meth use had been declining for at least six years before the ad campaign commenced, which suggests that factors other than the graphic ads cause reductions in meth use.”

Peg Shea, executive director of MMP, was quick to defend her program, but refused to admit that its termination would leave her unemployed during the worst economic downtown in modern history.

She claims the results are taken “out of context” and that they are based on “erroneous claims,” and points out that Erceg-Hurn (who conducted the study) wasn’t even in Montana during his research. It should be pointed out, however, that subject detachment is an important factor in establishing credibility in most studies.

She attempted to sensationalize his findings by issuing press releases claiming that he declined an invitation from Gov. Brian Schweitzer to come to Montana and discuss his findings with lawmakers, even though he cited his basis for not accepting as “financial reasons”. It should further be pointed out that the state of Montana refused to pay for travel and accommodation expenses, and that Australia is extremely far away, especially for a graduate student who is still in the middle of a term of study.

Since its inception, the program has gained widespread notoriety and inspired similar projects in other states, including Wyoming, Idaho and Illinois, though the effectiveness hasn’t been validated in any state or setting.

The state made the claim that, “Both the Montana Attorney General’s office and the state’s Office of Public Instruction have compiled reports showing a substantial decline in methamphetamine in recent years, giving large credit to the MMP,” but we have not seen any evidence as to where these statistics come from.

The truth is that no amount of billboards, no matter how expensive they are, will stop kids from trying something their friends swear is the best thing on earth. I’ve never tried meth, but I’ve dearly known three who have succumbed to it. “Not Even Once” is a very accurate slogan, because for each of my three friends, that was all it took to ruin their lives, but that doesn’t mean that spending millions, or tens of millions, on advertisements will ever stop a kid from doing something easy and rebellious.

The state anti-meth group has further blown through untold zillions of taxpayer dollars with a music festival featuring appearances from a popular Billings radio personality, drummers, fire trucks, live music and a “diverse cross-section of young MMP supporters”, including a strong showing of American Indians, Shea said.

“We’re trying to pull together talented, energized young folks,” Shea said. “I think it’s an appropriate way to spend to spend your Presidents Day.”

If there is one environment conducive to kids trying meth for the first time, it’s a free-form rock-style festival without guided structure. It doesn’t help that “meth” is right in the name. It seems like those opposing it have never experimented with drugs themselves (marijuana and mushrooms excluded, as those beg a very different environment.)

Please don’t take these comments to deduce that we are in any way “pro-drug”. Absolutely not! We are vehemently anti-drug, but these prevention methods are beyond ineffective; they’re pushing our kids towards these drugs.

And to send home the self-serving message that I fear is destroying the children, read this:
“…the state plays an important role. In 2007, through the attorney general’s portion of the budget, the Legislature approved $1 million for MMP. Shea is hoping for $2 million this time.”

We can’t use 50s era tactics on our kids. These are 21st century kids living in a youth world we cannot understand. Using tactics like this isn’t just strange (and I’m from out of state, so when I first saw the ads, believe you me, I was aghast at the sight of them,) but it’s largely ineffective.

If you don’t want kids to do meth, just let them meet a tweaker. Nothing will make them see how uncool it really is like a sad, sorry trainwreck of a once-was human. Billboards are not helping our children, they are just wasting our money. Or if you really want to get serious, just cut off the supply. As long as there are dealers, there will be users. Once the dealers are gone, there can’t be any users.