Meth
Article Date: 03/19/2008
By Dylan Vox
Crystal, Tina, Crissy and Dizzy are not the members of the latest all girl group. They are just a few of the cute little nicknames gay people have given to an addictive drug causing mass destruction in our community.
We’ve heard it all before—the trouble that this dangerous drug causes and the effects it has on the user… from loss of jobs to withdrawal from family and friends, unsafe sexual practices and a significant rise in rates of sexual transmitted disease including HIV/AIDS, though the facts are staring us in the face, use rates continue to spike across the country.
Law enforcement officials are finding that meth use is being associated with more crimes, and health officials are reporting higher rates of abuse for those admitted to facilities. Now the government and concerned parties are taking a new approach at this ever-growing problem in an attempt to help control this dangerous drug.
Over the past two terms, the Bush administration has been effectively undercutting important governmentally funded agencies, crippling the attack on the drug that is sweeping through the gay population. For the 2009 fiscal year, the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant, which is the primary program used to finance drug enforcement in nearly every state, will lose about $170 million in funding, according to a recent article in the Chicago Tribune.
The loss of law enforcement to be able to combat the epidemic becomes problematic considering that, according to a 2007 National Association of Counties survey, it was reported that 58 percent of law enforcement officials in 500 counties cite methamphetamine as their biggest drug problem.
The Federal Government has passed some effective legislation, which supplied tougher penalties for meth traffickers. Congress also passed the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Bill, an amendment to the Patriot Act, which places restrictions on the sale of pseudoephedrine, a key element in the manufacturing of the drug.
While these important pieces of legislature attack the cause and the source of the drug, little to no effort is being made toward treating the problem or educating the public about the dangers of meth use.
That duty fell on local governments and public health services to start programs that would help raise awareness in the community.
According to the Los Angeles County Health Survey, approximately 1.4% or 100,000 adults in the Los Angeles area reported the use of meth in 2006. That statistical data showed that the highest rates were among those who identified as gay or bisexual.
In the city of West Hollywood, one of the largest areas for gay citizens per capita in the world, it is estimated that nearly 30 percent of people testing HIV positive reported using crystal meth within six months prior to testing. Those high rates have required a swift and effective response from the West Hollywood government and local health organizations.
Van Ness Recovery House is one of the largest alcohol and drug addiction recovery programs dedicated to serving the LGBT community. They began reporting high rates of meth users in the late ’90s and the numbers have subsequently continued to grow.
The recovery house, along with the West Hollywood City Council, have taken a leadership role in actively providing education and treatment information in the hopes of stopping the epidemic throughout the city.
In 2005, then Mayor John Duran began holding town hall meetings to help generate a community dialogue and promote greater awareness about the dangers of crystal meth use and its association with increased rates of HIV infection.
The forums, which featured celebrity and community recovering addicts, demonstrated just how prevalent the problem had become, and the needed dialogue initiated a citywide campaign of awareness. Local magazines and health organization created PSA ad campaigns that were both alarming and effective.
One PSA, which focused on “Meth Mouth”, shows the disturbing image of what happens to your teeth as a result of meth use.
Duran explained that these “shock tactics” seem to be the most effective way to get the important message out into the community.
“The younger generation didn’t grow up during the AIDS/HIV epidemic of the early ’80s. They didn’t experience the loss in the same way that my generation did. It is important that we send the message that is not something that we ever want to have happen to or community again.”
After his term as mayor, Duran joined the city council and continued his fight to help end the meth problem in the city.
Early this year, the council approved funding for a PSA formatted film called Tweakers. The idea to create such a powerful and informative film came from director and award winning talk show host Jimmy Palmieri.
Joining Palmieri, Susan Sexton, a local activist and member of the Lesbian and Gay Advisory Board of West Hollywood, and Yvette Sotelo of West Hollywood Public Access, felt their experiences and exposure to the devastation caused by the epidemic needed to be shared with others.
The film is scored by openly gay and HIV positive Brian Grillo, the front man of the internationally famous, now-defunct band Extra Fancy. It showcases the harsh reality of meth use through inventive stories and in-your-face scenarios.
"Tweakers is a film everyone should see, not only because it shows how crystal meth destroys people’s lives, but also because it teaches us that everyone is at risk of getting “hooked” on the drug." Duran explained.
Projects like Tweakers have begun to garner national recognition and other cities are beginning to get on board with spreading the message.
Earlier this year, Fox News ran a series of stories about the increased growth of meth addiction through the American heartland, while the reality television show Intervention has highlighted several addicts provided an honest and compelling portrayal of the drug and its effects.
On the local level, communities are now creating Crystal Meth Anonymous groups designed to specifically focus on those addicted to the drug.
In San Diego county, websites and hotlines designed to help meth users get treatment before they reach rock bottom are catching on in the gay community.
Kathy Watt, the executive director of the Van Ness Recovery House, explained at a news conference, “You don’t need to be at the point where you need residential treatment, 12-step treatment or intensive treatment to say, ‘I need help.’ You don’t have to wait until the drug has [brought] you to your knees. Somebody can help you get to the right places, and you don’t have to feel alone.”
All across the country agencies are learning that this drug is like no other because it is accessible, used, and effects every part of the populous. In order to combat the problem, municipalities like West Hollywood are filling in the gaps not covered by Federal government funding and are dedicating themselves to providing treatment and education.
It is a national problem that is finally getting national attention, and as awareness grows, hopefully an end to this dangerous epidemic is soon to follow.
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