Learn, connect and share — that’s what Hawaii teens are being asked to do in a new Hawaii Meth Project public awareness campaign being unveiled today at Roosevelt High School.
Meth use among Hawaii 10th-graders increased 87 percent between 2005 and 2007, according to a survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. Hawaii ranked No. 19 in the nation in 2007 for the percentage of teens (3.9 percent) who have used meth. In 2005 it ranked 32nd.
The campaign, known for its shocking, graphic depictions of the consequences of trying methamphetamine, today is launching an interactive website, www.methproject.org, to augment its traditional print, television and radio advertisements.
"It really is the definitive source for meth (information)," said Joe Perez, executive director of the Hawaii Meth Project.
The motivation behind the website is to communicate with teens via platforms they relate to well — the Internet and social media — and take them from just being the target audience to playing an integral part in spreading the campaign’s message.
"Like" and "Share" buttons appear on the corner of almost every page of the website so visitors can post content directly to their Facebook pages or other social media sites without taking any extra steps.
"There are a number of ways that we are attempting to get teens and young adults to help spread the word," Perez said.
The theme of this year’s advertisements is "Ask MethProject.org," which was designed to drive teens and young adults to the website where they can learn more about the drug.
There is also a "Speak Up" section where visitors can share artwork, poetry, videos, stories and photos and comment on each others’ contributions.
"It will allow our target audience to gain some ownership over the site," Perez said.
The home page is simple. Visitors can scroll through a list of 26 frequently asked questions on the left side of the page. When they click on a question, an interactive game pops up, and testimonials, videos, images and other facts appear below it.
If people are interested in learning about the effect methamphetamine has on the body, they can pick up a virtual set of tweezers on the screen and pluck off body parts — teeth, heart, bones — and drop them in a metal hospital tin to find out more. Removing the hair will cause the virtual person’s hair to fall out, while an explanation pops up on the screen.
"It’s good for people who like video games, and the graphics are really nice," Hanako Heine, a Roosevelt senior and peer educator, said after getting a sneak peek at the website yesterday.
Alida Holt, a junior at Roosevelt and also a peer educator, said the graphic elements in addition to the website are effective because they take the glamour out of getting high. "I think it shows the real side of the drug," she said.
