DENVER – To raise awareness of the problems with methamphetamine, the National Congress of American Indians introduced a national campaign at its 64th annual NCAI convention in mid-November.
The campaign consists of radio public service announcements and posters that will be sent throughout Indian country as the first national effort to educate American Indian families about the effects of meth use.
”This is one of the most important collaborations NCAI has ever been part of. This is a crucial component of our ongoing fight against meth in Indian country,” said Joe Garcia, president of NCAI.
”Meth has a hold on Native communities and it is devastating to see Indian people suffer in its grasp. This educational initiative will undoubtedly save lives.”
This new campaign is in collaboration with the Partnership for a Drug-Free America. The new ads have been researched and developed specifically for Indian country.
”Native American use of meth is on the rise, and the numbers increase as we sit here,” Garcia said.
Mike Townsend, executive vice president for the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, said the campaign presents a message of hope and is designed to empower young people rather than scold them. Indian country indicated that it was resistant to the ”blame and shame method” but would accept the message that was chosen, he said.
”Teens want parental involvement; that’s a major factor in keeping teens off drugs. And teens want to be heard,” Townsend said. ”Adults felt they were less equipped to take charge because there was not enough knowledge of meth.”
Garcia said there were three parts to fighting meth: law enforcement, prevention and treatment.
”We want to get away from the point when people need treatment,” Garcia said.
Radio stations across the country have indicated an interest in running the PSAs, and posters will be placed in many public and educational venues throughout the country, according to Patty Dimitriou of Alternative Marketing Solutions, which created the radio ads and posters.
”We are here for all the families who are impacted by this. We were asked by many communities to help, so we created the radio ads and posters,” Dimitriou said.
”This will require every media outlet to make a difference and they need to make it part of their vision and plan. Leadership needs to show youth that there is a future,” she added.
Information collected this past year indicated that American Indians were more likely to use meth than any other ethnic group. Alaska Natives and American Indians used meth at a rate of 1.7 percent of the population which, compared to the use by Hispanics (0.5 percent) and blacks (0.1 percent), becomes a substantial problem.
A recent BIA law enforcement survey indicated that 74 percent of tribes said meth was the greatest threat to the community and that 40 percent of all crime was meth-related. An increase in domestic violence and child neglect cases was also the alleged result of expansion of meth use.
The Yavapai-Apache Nation estimated that 90 percent of its child welfare cases are related to meth.
The radio ads and posters should start to appear in communities in early 2008. The radio ads, which are geared to both teens and adults, were introduced and read by NCAI Youth Commission members during the NCAI convention.
The ads geared toward the adults encourage parents to talk with their teens about meth and give them reasons to celebrate their culture. For the teens, they hear about how their walk in two worlds makes them more vulnerable, and how they don’t have to ”check out” like some kids have done. They hear the message to practice their traditions, look to their futures and be proud of who they are.
”I don’t want people assuming things ‘cuz I’m Indian. I just wanna be me,” part of the radio ad states.