STATE LAUNCHES 'METH DESTROYS' CAMPAIGN

HENDERSONVILLE -- Merrol Hyde Magnet School student Tucker Jacky said
he would likely never use meth, but added even if the thought crossed
his mind portions of a video shown at school Monday would turn him
away from the drug.

Jacky and other Merrol Hyde Magnet students were the first in the
state to view the "Meth Destroys" video, part of a statewide
education campaign aimed at keeping young people away from the drug.

District attorney generals from across the state and Gov. Phil
Bredesen came to Merrol Hyde Magnet School Monday to launch the
statewide education campaign "Meth Destroys."

Bredesen told the students, who viewed a portion of the video, that
it is time to focus on education in the campaign to eliminate the
impact meth is having on Tennessee.

"Tennessee has one of the worst meth problems in the nation,"
Bredesen said, adding there were 102 meth labs seized last year.

The campaign being promoted by the Tennessee District Attorneys
General Conference is a way for prosecutors to take a proactive part
in reducing the number of meth cases that are crowding Tennessee courts.

Bredesen added he has high hopes for this education campaign because
it shows the dangerous impact of meth use on real people.

"What I like about this program is that it is not preaching, it is
showing (the impact of meth use)," Bredesen added.

The "Meth Destroys" campaign forms a partnership between district
attorneys, law enforcement, businesses and other state agencies to
raise awareness about the impact of methamphetamine use.

Dan Alsobrooks, district attorney from the 23rd Judicial District
(which includes Dickson County) and chairman of the DA's meth
committee, said following the presentation action taken by the
Tennessee General Assembly last year restricting the sale of items
used to make meth is seeing results.

Saying the state is seeing a decline in the meth labs, Alsobrooks
added the way to stop the manufacturing of the drug is to stop the demand.

He added the "Meth Destroys" campaign shows how dangerous the drug is
to anyone who tries it just once.

"We wanted to show how it effects Tennesseans, that's what makes it
(the campaign) effective," Alsobrooks said.

An important part of "Meth Destroys," Bredesen said is the
partnership with other agencies and businesses to spread the message.

One of the private sector partners in this campaign is Vanderbilt
University Medical Center.

Dr. Jeffrey Guy, with the Vanderbilt Burn Unit said if meth use in
the state does not decline it will cause a health care crisis.

He adds a large portion of the patients who come through the burn
unit have been injured during manufacturing of methamphetamines.

Twenty-two agencies and businesses ranging from the Tennessee Farm
Bureau to the Outdoor Advertising Association are partnering with the
state on this year-long campaign.