HENDERSONVILLE, Tn. - Gov. Phil Bredesen on Monday officially launched the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference's Meth Destroys statewide methamphetamine education campaign during a kickoff assembly and news conference at Merrol Hyde Magnet School.

The campaign will help each of Tennessee's 31 District Attorneys fight Tennessee's methamphetamine use and manufacturing problems, by carrying a proactive message to youth, communities, and businesses about the dangers of the drug at the local and state levels, he said.

Meth Destroys is funded by a grant from the governor's office following last fall's final report from the Governor's Task Force on Methamphetamine Abuse, which called for the state "to educate communities about the dangers of methamphetamine abuse."

"Tennessee's methamphetamine problem is a statewide issue and affects much more than just the user," Gov. Bredesen said. "It is a critical time to educate Tennesseans about the effects of the drug - not just on individuals, but also on their families, neighborhoods and communities. The Meth Destroys educational campaign will play a key role in preventing additional people from trying meth. The district attorneys are leading the fight against methamphetamine abuse on a daily basis and will now have additional resources for meth education."

The assembly included Gov. Bredesen detailing Tennessee's meth problem, District Attorney General Ray Whitley giving an overview of the Meth Destroys campaign, a performance by the Weapons of Mass Percussion, a Dickson High School group formed to educate youth about methamphetamine, a viewing of the campaign's educational DVD portraying the lives of four Tennesseans who have experienced firsthand the dangers of methamphetamine abuse and the release of the first Meth Destroys radio PSA.

A major objective of the District Attorneys' Meth Destroys campaign will be educational outreach to youth, particularly middle and high school students, it was stated.

"Our success against meth can best be measured by our ability to prevent its first time use. That is why we're going into our schools and telling our young people about the horrors that result in the use of this deadly drug," said Bill Cox, Hamilton County district attorney. III.

The district attorneys will also work with local business leaders and city, county and state officials to inform them about the economic effects meth has on communities in the Volunteer State.

The yearlong education campaign will include:

- A Meth Destroys Web site at www.MethFreeTN.org has educational resources, help referrals, localized information about the campaign, news articles about meth in Tennessee, and materials, TV spots and radio PSAs available to download.
- Informational brochures and posters to be distributed to schools, health departments, law enforcement agencies and other state and local organizations. A 20-minute DVD that explores the meth problem in Tennessee and shares the stories of four Tennessee former meth addicts.
- TV spots and radio PSAs featuring Tennesseans affected by methamphetamine abuse will soon be broadcast across the state.
- Billboards are also in development.
- Bumper decals for Tennessee law enforcement agencies.
- Window decals for members of the Anti-meth Task Force.
- A statewide Youth Advisory Council to be formed with high school students to educate others in their area about meth.
- Additional educational materials, including an adult booklet.
- Targeted fliers.

All Meth Destroys campaign materials feature images and stories of Tennessee meth users. The pictures depict the serious effects of a very dangerous drug.

More information about meth in Tennessee and the Meth Destroys campaign is available on the www.MethFreeTN.org Web site.

The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference is partnering with a number of organizations at the state and local levels to further educate Tennesseans about the dangers of meth. Partners include Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, Tennessee Bankers Association, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Tennessee Hospital Association, Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Girl Scout Council of Cumberland Valley, Tennessee 4-H, Tennessee National Guard Counterdrug Division, South/East Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force, Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug and Other Addiction Services (TAADAS), Community Anti-Drug Coalitions Across Tennessee (CADCAT), Outdoor Advertising Association of Tennessee, Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, Tennessee Highway Patrol, Tennessee Sheriffs Association, Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Tennessee Department of Health, Tennessee Department of Education, Tennessee Department of Children's Services, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

For more information about the Meth Destroys campaign or to request brochures, posters or the DVD, log on to www.MethFreeTN.org. Additional information is available by calling the Tennessee meth hotline at (877) TNN-METH (866-6384). For help overcoming an addiction, contact the Tennessee Association of Alcohol, Drug and Other Addiction Services REDLINE at (800) 889-9789.