San Francisco’s gays must be the fastest fags around. An April study estimates that 13% of the population uses meth. What’s worse, of the 5,524 shooters (those who inject drugs), about 54% use speed. These figures do not, however, suggest daily use. BAR elaborates:
Taken together, the numbers suggest that 10,003 gay men in San Francisco are meth users. Overall, the task force estimated that 46,000 residents use meth. The task force came to its decision after reviewing data from a dozen studies, and usage could range anywhere from once a day to once in the past year.
Regardless of regularity, the city government’s trying to slow things down with the new, “socially realistic” Resist Meth campaign.
Pretty snazzy, huh? Although, to be honest, we prefer our anti-meth campaigns to show the actual effects of meth, ie: missing teeth, sunken face, shattered lives.
This campaign’s about more than fighting drugs, says Antonio Aquilar, a community adviser:
Meth has actually created a little bit of a front for a lot of us to come together and join forces. It was saying going back to the concept of community. We the people come together and want you to join us to resist this thing. The sign doesn’t say anything stigmatizing about anyone or anything. It leaves it open so people can read into it whatever they want.
Of course, Aquilar and company are hoping people will read it and realize, “Hey, I’m wasting my life away being wasted. It’s far more attractive to be at least relatively sober and remember who I fucked last night.”
Other anti-drug campaigns seem to be working. Sort of. Meth rates have dropped slightly since last year, but coke usage appears to be climbing. The lesser of two evils, we suppose, but neither leaves a great mark.
cjc
Yay! Socialist realism! From San Francisco, of course–how appropriate. 😉
Lenin sez: only the bourgeoisie take tina.
Stalin sez: 100 years in the gulag for a booty bump.
hulamonkey
I would like to see an ad campaign of the meth users that go to my gym – they start out as typical Chelsea beef; 6 months later they are paranoid, chicken headed anorectics with skin problems – really unattractive but still cruising like they are super studs. Meth makes desperate folks think they are cool, not desperate.
joeq
Meth is terribly hard to beat as an addiction. Any effort is to be applauded. A more realistic approach would work better than the slick poster – I think shocking these guys into some therapy (because you gotta get help to beat this even though the Meth makes you feel superior)to help you over the booty hump.
Reality is better than Meth. Get help.
cjc
Joeq, I think you came up with the perfect ad campaign slogan right there.
Paul Raposo
I think hulamonkey hit the nail on the head; a campaign with pics of meth addicts before and after. Real life stories, not posters showing drawings of pretty boys saying no to drugs. Although doing anything is better than doing nothing.
Qjersey
Crack is whack, but Tina is meaner