MMAA Update
Spreading the Word About Meth
By Doris Folger
The MMA Alliance is targeting young teens in the fight against methamphetamine.
Methamphetamine use is at an all-time high and is an enormous public health threat. An article in the August 8, 2005, issue of Newsweek labeled methamphetamine “America’s most dangerous drug.” The threat is not just to those individuals addicted to the drug but to their families; to those who home-manufacture it in clandestine locations and their children; to law enforcement officers, who must deal with aggressive and violent addicts; to the general public, which must foot the bill when meth-dependent individuals break the law; and to anyone whose water supply is contaminated by seepage from underground meth labs.
Law enforcement officials quoted in a recent Minnesota Public Radio program called methamphetamine the drug of choice in rural Minnesota. But meth is also finding its way into suburban and city schools and is being used by people of all socioeconomic backgrounds. Meth is inexpensive, readily available, and highly addictive.
Clearly, decisive action is needed to deal with this epidemic. An effort involving all levels of government and that spans the country will be needed to find a solution to the problems created by meth. But as with any public health effort, providing accurate information is an excellent place to start.
During the past year, the Minnesota Medical Association (MMA) Alliance has attempted to address this devastating public health epidemic. We have created and published an information card we call “Meth is Death!” The fourth in our series of health-facts cards, this one targets students in grades 6 through 9. The cleverly illustrated card focuses on the toxic materials used to manufacture meth, the physical effects of using meth (brain damage, organ damage, convulsions, tooth decay, uncontrollable twitching, itching, anxiety), and the danger of explosion in a meth lab. The card also instructs students on what to do if they find a meth lab (don’t touch anything, leave immediately, and call 911).
Despite its postcard size, the “Meth is Death!” card packs a mighty message. Olmsted County public health nurses have been distributing the cards, and alliances from other states have been using them during health fairs and other educational events. But our goal is to bring the message about meth to all middle schoolers in Minnesota.
To order cards or to discuss ways to effectively distribute the information, contact me at djfolger@aol.com or 507/285-4883 or contact Vicki Westling at 1300 Godward Street NE, Suite 2500, Minneapolis, MN 55413, 800/342-5662, Extension 764, or vwestling@mnmed.org. MM
Doris Folger is president of the Minnesota Medical Association Alliance.