The Partnership has launched a new addition to its award-winning community outreach program, Meth360®, to help curb use of the highly addictive illicit drug methamphetamine in the Hispanic community.

A través del Cristal Meth (Through Crystal Meth) brings together law enforcement officers, substance abuse prevention and treatment professionals to co-deliver meth awareness presentations to parents and concerned citizens. The presentation educates Spanish-speaking parents about the devastating effects of meth, emphasizing the need to communicate with teens about the dangers.

Methamphetamine abuse is a growing concern in the Hispanic community. Research shows that almost half of Hispanic teens don’t see great risk in trying methamphetamine once or twice, and 1 in 3 Hispanic teens report having friends who have used meth.

A través del Cristal Meth is designed to help the Hispanic community take action against this threat. The program has been specifically tailored to reflect the needs of the Spanish-speaking community in the U.S., providing tools and resources to help parents protect their children and loved ones from this dangerous drug.

The program also combines personal stories of Hispanic teens and adults in recovery from meth addiction with testimonials from their parents, highlighting the real-life, devastating impact of meth on families and lives.

For more information about A través del Cristal Meth or to download free presentation materials, visit www.drugfree.org/meth360, sign up and click on Resources and Downloads.

Did You Know?

• Manufacturing one pound of methamphetamine creates five pounds of toxic waste. Chemical byproducts from meth are found in parks and forests and can linger in soil and groundwater for years, posing immediate and long-term environmental health risks. The number of meth labs has been decreasing since 2005, but meth cooks are finding new ways to produce this dangerous drug in smaller mobile labs. The chemicals are highly toxic, and waste dumped into streams, rivers, fields, backyards and sewage systems can contaminate water resources for humans and animals.

• Coca plants, the source of cocaine, are grown in the rainforests of Colombia. Nearly 500,000 acres of Colombian natural forest are destroyed every year, mainly due to the plantation of coca plants, and the primary cause of air pollution in the Colombian jungle is the burning of forest to make way for coca plants. The production of two pounds of coca paste generates 1,300 pounds of trash and contaminates 200 gallons of water. Consequently, for every one gram of cocaine consumed, 43 square feet of Columbian rain forest is destroyed.

• Approximately 60 percent of outdoor marijuana cultivation in the United States takes place on America’s public lands where growers are less likely to be discovered because of their remote location. This comes at a high cost to the environment: for every acre of forest where marijuana is grown, 10 acres are damaged by fertilizers and other toxic chemicals. (In 2007 alone, an estimated 756,000 pounds of illegal pesticides and fertilizers were used to grow marijuana; In other words, for every 11.5 marijuana plants grown, it’s estimated that 1.5 pounds of illegal pesticides and fertilizers are used.) Between 2007 and 2008, 700 marijuana growing sites were found in California’s national forests and parks. These sites are riddled with dead deer and bears, victims of poison growers use to keep animals away.

According to the study, teen meth use has experienced a steep three-year drop, with past-month use down to 3 percent of teens - a significant 25 percent decline versus 2005. Teen attitudes about meth use corroborate this drop - 83 percent of teens see great risk in using meth regularly, about 85 percent see great risk in “getting hooked on meth” and more than half of teens, (54 percent) see trying meth once or twice as very risky.

Additionally, the study revealed the first major increase in the number of teens who reported “learning a lot” about the risks of drugs from their parents. The study shows that 37 percent of teens reported learning a lot about the risks of drugs from their parents, a significant 16 percent increase from the previous year and the first major increase since the inception of the study.

The study also indicates a strong correlation between increased teen exposure to anti-drug messages on television and a decreased likelihood of trying drugs over the past ten years. Four out of ten teens (41 percent) agreed that anti-drug messages made them more aware of the risks of using drugs and less likely to try drugs (42 percent).

“The strong declines in illegal use of meth and other drugs of abuse combined with the news that teens are learning a lot about drugs and alcohol at home emphasizes the power and influence of parents,” said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership. “It also underscores the continued need for strong anti-drug messages and drug-education programs to stop teens from trying meth and other drugs of abuse.”

The 20th annual national study of 6,518 teens in grades 7-12 is nationally projectable with a +/- 1.6 percent margin of error. PATS Teens 2008 was conducted in private, public and parochial schools for the Partnership by the Roper Public Affairs Division of GfK Custom Research. For more information and the full PATS Teens Report visit www.drugfree.org.

At first, no one seemed to be the wiser, because Jordan was keeping up that façade of working, going to school, making straight “A’s,” and hanging out with her friends. Eventually, she started selling drugs to support her habit, dropped out of school and refused to see her family. “That’s what the drugs do to you, one moment you’re really, really happy, and then, when you come off the drugs, you become very self-destructive and hate everything and everyone around you,” Jordan said.

One night, after running away from her parents and going on a drug binge, Jordan knew she needed help - desperately - but was scared to talk to her parents. When Jordan’s mother realized that Jordan was in trouble, she had her drug tested. “I failed with flying colors,” Jordan laughs. “It was the best thing to ever happen to me.”

Her mother took her to the ER to detox, and then to a treatment facility where she stayed for over three months. “My mother stayed with me through thick and thin, and was always there when I wanted to give up on my treatment,” Jordan remembers. “If you stick with it, no matter how hard it gets, you can recover from your addiction - you just have to want it badly enough.”

Now, after two years of recovery, Jordan still goes to AA meetings and has a sponsor. She surrounds herself with positive people and maintains a positive outlook on life, and she knows that family is the #1 thing in her life. “I have great friends now and great relationships with my family. I got a full ride scholarship to college, and I’m going to school to be a counselor and help teens who are going through what I went through,” Jordan said. “The biggest lesson I had to learn was that you can have your life back!”

“This campaign is meant to empower tribal communities to take action to address the ever-rising meth problem,” said Mike Townsend, Executive Vice President at the Partnership. “Through increased education and communication between parents, elders and teens, communities can become more resilient to the meth threat. It’s our hope that these public service messages will encourage that dialogue and blunt meth abuse in those communities.”

Nationally, Native Americans, including American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians, experience the highest rates of methamphetamine abuse among all other ethnicities, a factor that creates a negative ripple effect throughout communities. A 2006 report from the Bureau of Indian Affairs indicates that 74% of tribal police forces rank meth as their greatest drug threat, and 48% report an increase in child neglect and abuse cases due to increased methamphetamine use.

The research-based campaign has a dual focus, with radio, print and poster ads aimed at Native youth, and print and radio messages targeting Native adults and elders. The new youth radio spots embrace the theme of “Who Am I?” (listen here) which acknowledges that Native youth often straddle two worlds, the traditional way of life and modern society. The spots also explore how identity struggles may increase teens’ vulnerability to meth, and encourage youth to draw strength from their traditions, heritage and connection with other teens to avoid the trap of meth (listen here).

Alina Diaz of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America said Native American community leaders are hopeful the ads will get parents and children talking about the problem. “Increased education and communication between parents, elders and teens is one of the most important factors in preventing meth use,” she said. “The ads encourage youth to draw strength from their traditions and heritage to avoid the trap of meth. They also aim to encourage Indian adults to stay involved in their children’s lives.”

For more information and a how-to guide of tips and advice for fighting meth in Native communities, visit www.ncai.org. Public service messages are being distributed on a pro-bono basis by NCAI, the Partnership and various community groups. Interested communities may contact April Hale at 202.466.7767 or ahale@ncai.org.

As part of the Partnership’s commitment to recovery, on Saturday, September 27th, Partnership staff, friends and family participated in A&E Network’s Recovery Rally which united thousands of people in a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge followed by a rally in City Hall Park in downtown New York City. The Partnership believes that recovery is an attainable goal, and should be celebrated and supported. Marching alongside so many people who are living proof that treatment works was inspiring, and renewed the Partneship’s commitment to ensure that families have access to treatment and other help for loved ones in trouble.

With the new Life After site, the Partnership strives to support the recovery community further by providing a place for those in recovery to share their stories, connect with others who have had similar experiences and find encouragement from friends and family. Even if you are not struggling with recovery yourself, please visit Life After to express your support or to be inspired by these amazing stories of success and hope.

While the site will feature stories of triumph over addiction to a variety of substances, the initial focus is on recovery from methamphetamine.

“Storytelling is an integral part of recovery,” said Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. “For the first time, the Partnership is building an online community dedicated to helping those in recovery draw strength from their common experiences. These people are living proof that recovery from meth is possible, and that’s an extremely powerful message of hope, especially for friends and family of those struggling with addiction. ”

The goal of Life After is to raise awareness about the many faces of addiction, and to emphasize the critical role of friends and family in supporting those who are addicted through treatment and recovery. The site seeks to motivate and engage family and friends to become educated about these issues, and is designed to be a conversation starter between those in recovery and the public to exchange experiences, share concerns about the dangers of meth and other substance abuse and to provide support and guidance for those seeking to help a loved one.

To learn more about this site, visit www.drugfree.org/lifeafter.

For as long as he can remember, Cox wanted to be in law enforcement. He was part of the first round of agencies that the Partnership for a Drug-Free America approached to launch Meth360, a multi-disciplinary community outreach program designed to enhance community efforts to deal with the impact of methamphetamine and raise awareness about the dangers of the drug.

The Partnership sat down with Cox, and asked him a few questions about the program, why meth is a danger and also delves into why he really gets up in the morning:

Q&A

Partnership (P): Good Morning, Jim. We’re turning the interrogation lights on you today, and are planning on asking some touch questions. You ready?

Jim (J): Ask away…

(P): So, how did you first hear about Meth360 and what was your first impression?

(J): My captain (Captain David Vice) told me he was sending my squad to a methamphetamine training class. Honestly, we thought we could do it better. (laughs) But then we realized that our training curriculum was designed for Law Enforcement Officers only. Meth 360 combines law enforcement, treatment and prevention professionals, and what we like most about Meth360 is it targets the public who we serve and protect.

(P): What would you like to tell other people about the program?

(J): This program is extremely informative and covers all aspects of methamphetamine use and abuse and the dangers of meth labs. It’s delivers comprehensive information about every side of the issue, and quite honestly, I wish this program was mandatory everywhere. It could quite possibly save lives, and our goal is to have it reach enough people across the country to make a significant impact.

(P): What is meth and why is meth such a danger?

(J): Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant drug, and users can develop a tolerance very quickly, needing larger amounts to get high. It’s absolutely devastating for communities. Meth affects children the worst, because they are often abandoned or abused, because meth completely controls and destroys their parents’ lives.

(P): Now that we’ve looked deeper into why Meth360 is so important, we also wanted to know why you really get up every the morning?

(J): Well, that’s an easy one… besides the fact that I want to help the people in my community, I also want to be there for my four-year-old twin daughters. My family is most important in my life, and I want to make sure that they are protected.

(P): Well, Jim, thanks for all of that insight. We really appreciate your time and effort. In closing, what inspirational quote gets you through the day?

(J): (laughs) I just keep telling myself, “Easy Tiger..” and go on with my day.

(P): Now we’ve heard it all. Signing off…

The Partnership for a Drug-Free America has launched Meth360, a  multidisciplinary community outreach program designed to enhance community efforts to deal with the impact of methamphetamine, and mobilize parents and concerned citizens to take action to prevent meth use.

Created in 2006 with funding from the United States Department of Justice, Meth360 pairs teams of law enforcement officers with substance abuse prevention and treatment professionals to co-deliver meth awareness presentations at local business and civic organizations, schools and parent groups. By encouraging presenters to work in teams and bring their own experiences and anecdotes to the presentation, Meth360 offers audiences a “360-degree” perspective of the meth issue. For presenters, Meth360 helps build bridges between law enforcement and social services providers in their efforts to protect families and communities from substance abuse.

Meth360 was pilot-tested in four regions, with support from four lead law enforcement agencies. The Partnership recruited and trained presenters in Tulsa, Oklahoma; Albany, New York; Pierce and King Counties, Washington and Fairfax and Prince William Counties in Northern Virginia. During the nine-month pilot, 170 volunteer presenters from all three disciplines delivered 200 presentations, reaching 7,100 community members.

“Communities must be involved if we are to win the fight against drugs,” said Sergeant James Cox of the Fairfax County Police Department, one of the first agencies participating in Meth360. “Meth360 has aided our Department in forming partnerships with the communities we serve-and with our own government- by delivering the extremely powerful message that accompanies this campaign. These partnerships will be long-lasting and treasured, and if other jurisdictions have the same success we have had with Meth360, I truly believe methamphetamine can be a drug of the past.”

Audience evaluations in the pilot areas indicate that 93 percent of those who saw the presentation said Meth360 “taught them more” about methamphetamine and 86 percent reported they would “take action” to help protect their community.

Subsequent research, conducted by The Police Executive Research Forum, shows that 100 percent of presenters who responded to a survey would recommend Meth360 to communities interested in raising awareness about meth use, and 98 percent stated that the multidisciplinary approach enhanced the program’s credibility.

The Partnership has now expanded Meth360 into ten new states, and has recruited lead law enforcement agencies to help establish and expand the program in each state. Meth360 is now operating in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina and Texas. Program participants are using a new Web site, www.drugfree.org/meth360, to train themselves to deliver and coordinate presentations. This resource is available to all agencies, free of charge, and includes all materials needed to implement Meth360.

With additional funding from the Office of Justice of Programs and the COPS Office, the Partnership is expanding Meth360 into ten more states in 2008-Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, New Mexico, West Virginia and Wisconsin-and is creating youth, parent and Spanish-language versions of the presentation.

To learn more about Meth360, please visit www.drugfree.org/meth360 or email meth360@drugfree.org.

What is Methamphetamine?
Methamphetamine (Meth) is an addictive stimulant that strongly activates certain systems in the brain.

What does it look like?
Meth is a crystal-like powdered substance that sometimes comes in large rock-like chunks. When the powder flakes off the rock, the shards look like glass, which is another nickname for meth. Meth is usually white or slightly yellow, depending on the purity.

How is it used?
Methamphetamine can be taken orally, injected, snorted, or smoked.

What are its short-term effects?
Immediately after smoking or injection, the user experiences an intense sensation, called a “rush” or “flash,” that lasts only a few minutes and is described as extremely pleasurable. Snorting or swallowing meth produces euphoria - a high, but not a rush. After the initial “rush,” there is typically a state of high agitation that in some individuals can lead to violent behavior. Other possible immediate effects include increased wakefulness and insomnia, decreased appetite, irritability/aggression, anxiety, nervousness, convulsions and heart attack.

What are its long-term effects?
Meth is addictive, and users can develop a tolerance quickly, needing larger amounts to get high. In some cases, users forego food and sleep and take more meth every few hours for days, ‘binging’ until they run out of the drug or become too disorganized to continue. Chronic use can cause paranoia, hallucinations, repetitive behavior (such as compuslively cleaning, grooming or disasembling and assembling objects), and delusions of parasites or insects crawling under the skin. Users can obsessively scratch their skin to get rid of these imagined insects. Long-term use, high dosages, or both can bring on full-blown toxic psychosis (often exhibited as violent, aggressive behavior). This violent, aggressive behavior is usually coupled with extreme paranoia. Meth can also cause strokes and death.

What is its federal classification?
Schedule II
Source
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)