Not Even Once

I am always trying to learn new things about my new home.  One thing I noticed quickly was the presence of anti-meth campaigns in this city.

"Meth - Not Even Once" billboards, building posters, radio ads and bumper stickers are everywhere.

And rightfully so.  This is a pretty boring state, and when you have absolutely nothing to do all day, meth *could* make things interesting.

Some interesting facts I pulled from the Idaho Meth Project website:

• Idaho spends between $60 to $102 million annually to incarcerate and treat offenders
who admit to having a Meth problem—this represents between 32% - 55% of the Idaho
Department of Correction’s total budget
o 52% of Idaho inmates directly attribute Meth use to their incarceration
o 89% of female offenders in county jail in Idaho indicate they have a problem with
Meth—73% of these women indicate that Meth is their drug of choice

• During 2007, more than 70% of Federal drug offenses in Idaho involved
methamphetamine

• Idaho ranks #4 in the country for past year Meth use by 12 – 17 year olds and 18 – 25
year olds

• Idaho ranks #7 for lifetime Meth use by high school students

Needless to day, meth in Idaho seems to be just as common as potatoes, mormons, and open wilderness.  Of all the drugs to do, meth seems to be Darwin's drug-of-choice to thin out the herd. 

Because I'm a helpful person, I have scoured the internet and found a few 'anti-meth' images that may be helpful in getting the message across.  Enjoy.

 

 

Now, drugs are no laughing matter, and it is truly sad when narcotics can destroy someone's life, or worse, a family.  But I *do* see a difference between something like marijuana and meth.

Marijuana is a plant, and you smoke it.  The naturally-occurring chemicals that are released cause the high, and the result is a buzz that subsides over some time.  Side-effects include laziness, extra hunger, and red-eye.

Meth is a completely different beast.  It is a combination of battery acid, paint thinner, camp stove fuel, drain cleaner, cold tablets, brake fuel and a dozen or so other toxic chemicals.  Anything that makes your teeth fall out, makes you want to tear your skin off, or turns you batshit crazy is not a good way to get high.

If you grow a marijuana plant, you need plant food, lights, and a green-thumb.  If you make your own meth, the countdown to your house exploding begins in 5....4...3...2...

So remember kids: