Idaho "Meth" Survey Returns Promising Results

Idaho continues to be ravaged by the destructive force of meth; however, a recent survey shows positive results from the advertising campaign conducted by the Idaho Meth Project. The fledgling nonprofit organization launched a mass media campaign across Idaho last year, which features public service spots showing the grim realities of meth addiction to target those most vulnerable to trying it for the first time.

Teenagers experienced the biggest rise in awareness: 82 percent (up 5 percent from the benchmark study) of teens say there is "great" or "moderate" risk in taking meth once or twice. As many as 63 percent (up 8 percent) of those teens feel there is a great risk. The survey also shows the numbers are up for teens who would strongly disapprove of taking the drug once (83 percent), while 71 percent said their friends would give them a hard time if they tried it even once. Six out of 10 teens have told a friend not to use it.

Megan Ronk, Idaho Meth Project director, is very pleased with the survey results. She believes the advertising campaign is having a positive impact. "In the world of prevention we've see a pretty significant shift in terms of what young people throughout the state think about meth. They perceive greater risk in using the drug and they're talking to their friends."

(Sources: www.bonnercountydailybee.com)

Labels: meth, prevention, teenagers

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Utah Teens at High Risk for Substance Abuse

According to a recent story appearing in the Salt Lake Tribune, Summit County and Tooele County lead the state in the percentage of troubled teens. In Summit County, six out of 10 high school seniors are at risk for drug and alcohol abuse. These data come from the statewide Student Health and Risk Prevention (SHARP) surveys that were conducted in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 in 2003, 2005, and 2007. The results have been posted to a website recently established by the University of Utah's Criminal Justice Center. (Source: www.sltrib.com)

Labels: drug-use, risks, teenagers

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