Attorney General Lockyer Releases Spanish Language Educational Videos Designed to Combat the Methamphetamine Crisis

Friday, February 5, 1999
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

(LOS ANGELES) Attorney General Bill Lockyer today released two educational videos, in both Spanish and English, designed to educate the public about the dangers of methamphetamine. The first, Meth, the Great Deceiver, targets a teen audience. It delivers startling facts and compelling, true life stories of the violence and destruction that follow in the wake of using the drug. The second, Where Meth Goes Violence and Destruction Follow! is for a general audience. It outlines the meth problem in California and examines the violence, child abuse, social damage and environmental damage caused by the drug.

"The Great Deceiver... is designed to teach teens that meth does not make you smarter, look better, or work more efficiently. Teens will learn that meth use will lead them down a road to empty ambitions, failed dreams and rotten teeth. Methamphetamine destroys lives, " said Lockyer. "Where Meth Goes... offers a glimpse of the devastating effects of this powerful drug and the collaborative efforts of two California communities that took action."

A complimentary copy of the 2-set video and two companion guides will be mailed to all law enforcement agencies, district attorney's offices, public and continuation high schools, county offices of education, probation departments, school/law enforcement partnership groups, county drug and alcohol program administrators, various community-based non-profit organizations, and others - a total of more than 3,000 copies.

In addition, the Attorney General's Office will make the videos available to television and major cable stations for broadcast.

The videos were produced using part of an $18.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. In addition to the videos, the Attorney General's Crime and Violence Prevention Center last year produced an anti-methamphetamine media campaign which included four television public service announcements, four radio public service announcements, bill boards and an interactive web-site, www.stopdrugs.org.

The grant funds also augmented the Department of Justice's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement force by 72 drug agents, equipment and staff. Of those drug agents, 10 will be assigned as Prevention Education Agents, using the materials provided by the Attorney General's Crime and Violence Prevention Center to conduct training and outreach activities.

In 1998, state drug agents seized approximately 1,000 clandestine drug labs, not including those seized by local and federal law enforcement agencies. By comparison, in 1997 the DEA seized 1,495 clandestine drug labs throughout the nation.

The department's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement finds approximately 2,400 children, many under of the age of 13, near California meth labs every year. A study by law enforcement showed that as many as 35% of children found near meth labs tested positive for exposure to methamphetamine.

For more information on methamphetamine, please see the attached fact sheet.

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