Pizza boxes and gaming platforms to deliver warnings on meth use

Pizza is the new weapon in the war on drugs – stark messages that even minor meth use can cause long-term damage will be put in pizza boxes to reach young people.

Anti-meth messages will be home delivered on pizza boxes as officials try to reach a younger age group it fears is unaware even slight use can cause long term damage.

The new campaign Don’t Let Meth Take Hold launched on Monday is based on alarming research showing how minimal use of the drug can have lifelong health consequences including risk of Parkinson’s disease.

The hard-hitting messaging will use pizza boxes for the first time to target younger people at home, with 20,000 ads to be printed on the inside of lids and distributed by local independent stores.

Online gaming platforms also will also be used to connect with a difficult to reach audience, as well as social media and in venues including pubs, clubs and restaurants.

Don’t Let Meth Take Hold highlights the serious long-term effects of meth on the brain and body even if only used a few times – just five times in total.

Pizza boxes will become the new weapon in the war on meth.

It shows how a person’s movement can be affected for months or even years after they stop using meth, documenting these long-lasting effects which similar campaigns have never done.

The campaign uses University of South Australia research which linked meth use to long-lasting changes in parts of the brain associated with movement, with a greater risk of developing conditions including Parkinson’s disease.

Researchers also found almost half of people had no idea meth had any long-term health consequences.

Drug and Alcohol Services SA (DASSA) is running the $100,000 project in partnership with UniSA and The Hospital Research Foundation, which is funding it.

The stark warning about long term pain from even short-term use appears to be the right move – a pre-launch survey of Don’t Let Meth Take Hold showed it hit home more than previous warnings about immediate harm.

Health Minister Chris Picton said the campaign comes as the state government invests $24.2m for more than 20 extra rehabilitation and detox beds across the state and boosts regional services to meet growing demand.

“Our government is determined to reduce the devastating hold this insidious drug has on users, their families and the wider community,” he said.

“These messages will hit home and help strengthen our commitment to better rehabilitate users and support their loved ones, including opening up more drug and alcohol beds.”

DASSA state director Marina Bowshall said it is important to continue to find ways to educate and reduce the number of South Australians who use meth.

THRF executive director Olivia Nassaris said: “Our community wants to educate people on methamphetamine’s impact so we don’t see an increase in what’s being termed “drug-induced Parkinson’s” in the future.”

UniSA Clinical and Health Services Associate Professor Gabrielle Todd said the research shows parts of the brain responsible for movement are particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of methamphetamine.

“The damage that methamphetamine causes can lead to movement problems and increases the risk of developing movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease,” she said.

The Alcohol and Drug Information Service is on 1300 13 1340.