LA Center lauds campaign against crystal meth use by gay men...
The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center calls the newly created California Methamphetamine Initiative - aimed at preventing methamphetamine use among gay and bisexual men - groundbreaking and will unveil it at a public reception at the center’s Renberg Theatre on Monday morning.
There's a darn good reason to focus on this gowing public health and safety problem: data from the center’s HIV testing program showed that in 2004, nearly one in every three gay or bisexual men who tested positive for HIV indicated using crystal meth–a three-fold increase over 2001.
The center's chief public affairs officer, Jim Key, explains it this way: “In a world that continues to systematically discriminate against gay people, and as long as parents continue to abandon their children simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, the use of crystal provides a temporary and dangerous escape, temporarily boosting self-esteem and removing the stigma of being gay.”
A key part of the campaign is a 30-second TV ad was directed by award-winning motion picture director Joel Schumacher, director of "Batman Forever," "Veronica Guerin," "St. Elmo’s Fire," and numerous other films. The commercial will appear on cable TV throughout California from March through June 2008
“The television commercial is powerful and groundbreaking in that it specifically addresses and speaks to gay men,” said Mike Rizzo, manager of the Center’s Crystal Meth Recovery Services program. “Its messages, told through ‘webcam’ type videos, will especially appeal to young gay men and reflect the reality of what gay men experience when they first try meth and the consequences that can rapidly follow with extended use. The commercial is real and relatable and not easily dismissed as being overly alarmist.”
It, along with the other components of the campaign, can be viewed at: www.menotmeth.org. (sorry, I'm having trouble posting a direct link!)
Greg Hernandez has covered the entertainment industry for the Daily
News since 2001. He's considered a bit odd by some for his obsession
with box office numbers, has been known to camp out near the kitchen
at premieres for first crack at the hors d'oeurves, and Greg's never
seen a red carpet he didn't want to stroll down.