Meth in Colorado
Key facts related to the Colorado
Meth Project and its program's impacts.
- Law enforcement cites Meth as the #1 drug threat in Colorado.1
- 43% of Colorado Meth addicts in treatment began using at age 17 or younger.2
- Colorado ranks #7 in the country for the total number of past-year Meth users.3
- Meth-related crime in Colorado is 56% higher than the national average.4
- Colorado ranks #6 in the U.S. for identity theft.5
WHAT IS THE COLORADO METH PROJECT?
The Colorado Meth Project is a large-scale prevention program aimed at reducing Meth use through public service messaging, public policy, and community outreach. Central to the integrated, research-based campaign is MethProject.org, a definitive source for information about Meth for teens. MethProject.org is supported by hard-hitting television, radio, print, online, mobile, and social media campaigns that communicate the risks of Meth use.The Meth Project has been credited with significant declines in Meth use, and was named the 3rd most effective philanthropy in the world by Barron's. Since the Project's launch, teen Meth use has declined 65% in Arizona6 , 63% in Montana7 , and 50% in Idaho8 .
Currently, six state affiliates in Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming implement the Meth Project prevention programs in their states. In Colorado, where the program launched in 2009, young people's attitudes toward Meth are changing. Colorado teens and young adults have come to view Meth as more dangerous and recognize the Colorado Meth Project as a key source of information about the drug.APPROACH
Every day, people are faced with the decision to try Meth. Many perceive benefits in using the drug, but little to no risk. This is the root of the problem. The goal of the Colorado Meth Project is to arm teens and young adults across the state with the facts about methamphetamine so that they can make well-informed decisions when presented with the opportunity to try it.RESEARCH-BASED MESSAGING CAMPAIGN
The Meth Project conducts extensive statewide surveys and focus group research to more thoroughly understand attitudes and behaviors related to methamphetamine in Colorado. This research provides the foundation for Colorado Meth Project's messaging and communication programs.
The Meth Project's campaigns are informed by six years of extensive quantitative and qualitative research with prevention experts and more than 50,000 teens and young adults through 60 national and statewide surveys, and 112 focus groups and have been developed in consultation with top experts in research, prevention, treatment, advertising, and digital media.
The Colorado Meth Project's integrated campaign is designed to reduce Meth use by educating teens, early and often, about the risks of the drug. The centerpiece of its research-based campaign is MethProject.org, a definitive source for information about Meth for teens. Through an immersive multimedia experience, MethProject.org addresses teens' most frequently asked questions about the physical, mental, and social impacts of Meth. MethProject.org is supported by hard-hitting television, radio, print, online, mobile, and social media campaigns that graphically communicate the risks of Meth use.
The Meth Project's campaigns have been cited for their uncompromising approach and demonstrated impact, having won 50 awards, including 11 Gold ADDY Awards, 19 Silver ADDY Awards, 2 Gold Effie Awards, and the Cannes Lions Award at the Cannes International Advertising Festival.PUBLIC POLICY AND COMMUNITY ACTION
The Colorado Meth Project activities increase awareness of the critical nature of the Meth problem, influencing and escalating public dialogue to find solutions. Coordinating closely with local, state, and federal agencies, the Colorado Meth Project organizes a broad range of community outreach programs that mobilize communities across Colorado to assist in Meth awareness and prevention activities.
1 US Department of Justice. Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Drug Market Analysys. 2011.
2 Colorado Division of Behavioral Health, April 2011.
3 SAMHSA. Office of Applied Studies, National Surveys on Drug Use and Health 2006-2009.
4 ONDCP. Profile of Drug Indicators, State of Colorado. 2008.
5 Federal Trade Commission. Identity Theft Victim Complaint Data, Identity Theft Clearinghouse. 2007.
6 Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, Arizona Youth Survey. 2012.
7 Montana Office of Public Instruction, 2011 Montana Youth Risk Behavior Survey. June 2012.
8 Centers for Disease Control. 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Survey. 2012.
