Anti-drug campaign targets meth users

PHOENIX — Danika was one of the lucky ones. She got out alive. Unfortunately, many never make it that far.

“I first tried meth when I was 14. Within a month I was using everyday. My addiction progressed really fast,” says Danika, a recovering methamphetamine addict who agreed to speak with TZR as long her last name was withheld.

Phoenix police Commander Chris Crockett says the average age of the first-time user is 14, and nearly 90 percent of those who try the drug for a first time eventually become addicted.

Methamphetamine is creeping into the lives of Arizona children and families at an alarming rate. It follows a tragic national trend that indicates 1 in 33 teenagers have tried the drug.
As a result, Valley officials and media have partnered in the fight to protect youth by launching the Crystal Darkness campaign.

The collaboration brings members of the law enforcement, government, media, education, and recovery industries to support the production of Crystal Darkness , a sobering 30-minute documentary on the dangers of methamphetamine, commonly known as meth.

The program targets youth and their families and exposes the devastating meth problem in the United States.

“We’ve done a good job of locking up the bad guys, but we still need to do a better job on the prevention side,” Crockett says.

The mini-documentary, which airs April 15, will reach residents across the state in unprecedented numbers. It will be broadcast simultaneously at 6:30 p.m. on nearly every network-affiliated and locally owned Arizona television station in a media blitz. It will also be transmitted on 20 radio stations.

The message is told through the compelling testimonies of young meth addicts and the families who have suffered alongside them. Recovering youth shed light on the depths of addiction with the hope that others will find strength in their stories.

On the night of the broadcast, there will be a panel of speakers at the Phoenix Convention Center and a telethon. The call center will operate from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. and will give callers direction on how to seek help for themselves or others.

There’s even a sports connection. Former Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo has been an active presence in the Crystal Darkness project. In January, he hosted a breakfast that raised $60,000. Now he plans to host a VIP luncheon the day the program airs.

The goal is to raise $150,000 to distribute three million educational booklets and flyers to students statewide in kindergarten through grade 12. The funds will also support other drug prevention programs.

The Crystal Darkness movement has quickly spread through the West. Participating states include California, Nevada, New Mexico and Oregon.

Nevada was the first to host the media blitz on Jan. 9, 2007. Although the results will be measured over time, officials say Nevada’s campaign created a blueprint for other states to build on.

Arizona has invited prevention specialists from around the country to observe how the campaign works so they can take the model back to their states.

Crockett says Arizona’s close proximity to Mexico is a contributing factor to the increased availability of meth. The drug is smuggled across the border and shipped to other Western states.

Meth is also produced in dangerous neighborhood home labs that pose an imminent fire threat and are extremely volatile. Officials have been able to curtail the availability of these makeshift laboratories by restricting the sale of items used in the production process, such as the cold medicine pseudoephedrine.

Meth addiction progresses quickly, causing severe moral regressions, aggression, paranoia and anxiety in its users.

The drug creates a feeling of euphoria when ingested by stimulating the central nervous system. Prolonged abuse can result in schizophrenia and permanent brain damage. Other side effects include a decreased appetite, acne and sores.

“My morals completely changed. I would lie, steal and sleep around. I was a completely different person,” Danika says.

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