4. CASE STUDIES

Boise, Idaho

Two site visit have been made to Boise. The first baseline visit occurred in December 15-19, l997. The first followup visit took place during the week of March 23-27, l998.

Eugene, Oregon, was selected as a comparison site for Boise, Idaho, because both sites have similar demographic and community characteristics. The quantitative data collected from in-school surveys completed by students in both Boise and Eugene also showed similar patterns at baseline. These patterns, displayed in Exhibit 4-1 at the end of Section 4, further demonstrate that Eugene constitutes a reasonable comparison site for Boise. Exhibit 4-4 summarizes youth, parent, and community findings for both sites.

The remainder of this report describes key data collected in Boise at baseline and at the followup visits 3 months later, as well as key findings in Eugene collected during the 3-month followup visit.

Baseline Picture

Ongoing Anti-Drug Activities in the Boise Community

Over the past l8 months Boise has experienced a number of drug-related problems, such as youth-related shootings and a rise in the use of crank by youth. In response to these problems, the community has undertaken a number of collaborative activities. "Community In Action-Enough Is Enough" is an anti-drug and family responsibility media campaign initiated in l997 through a partnership between Doug Armstrong, President and General Manager of KTVB-TV, Boise's NBC affiliate, and Boise Mayor Brent Coles. The goal of the campaign is "To Help Kids Walk Drug-Free Through A Drug-Filled World." The campaign targets 7th-l2th graders and their parents. The foundation of the campaign rested upon a week-long visit in April l997 by inspirational speaker Milton Creagh who spoke at the Boise State Pavilion, focusing on personal responsibility and the importance of educating youth and their parents about the drug problem in Boise.

Associated with the "Enough Is Enough" campaign, the Western Idaho State Fair held an "Enough Is Enough" day at its 1997 fair at which no alcohol was served. This 1997 fair, the first to have an alcohol-free day, had attendance 23 percent higher than usual. Idaho Outdoor Advertising is sponsoring a statewide campaign that features billboards that read "Be a Hero-Be a Role Model." The billboards are prominently featured at major intersections in Boise and surrounding areas.

The Idaho Statesman, a local newspaper, did an evaluation of the "Enough Is Enough" campaign 4months after Creagh's visit. The newspaper reported that youth still remembered the messages brought by Creagh and that his message had helped change some of their attitudes and behaviors regarding drug use.

The U.S. Attorney's Office sponsors an outreach program in the Boise area, primarily through the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Monte Stiles. Mr. Stiles spoke to more than l0,000 school children and made more than 60 anti-drug presentations in October l997.

Parents and Youth Against Drug Abuse (PAYADA) is sponsored by Boise State University (BSU), the BSU Wellness Center, and the Boise Parks and Recreation Department. It shares information throughout the State of Idaho, provides alcohol and other drug education, trains youth and adult leaders, and promotes activities and builds partnerships within the community. PAYADA's occasional newsletter, Attitude, asserts: "BSU promises safe places and drug-free activities." The newsletter is distributed to l0,000 youth in Boise and Meridian, Idaho.

Youth Court involves youth, ages 8-l6, who have committed their first alcohol, tobacco, or drug offense. They may opt to go to Youth Court to stand before a jury of their peers. If they fulfill their sentence, the offense will be struck from their record. Youth Court sentences always involve education, community service, and peer counseling.

Red Ribbon Week occurs nationally during the last week of October. Locally, it is promoted by Idaho Outdoor Advertising as well as local radio and TV stations.

Trends in the Boise Community

Boise was described by many community informants as a very conservative community in which people do not talk about drug problems. Most of these informants believed that parents do not think a drug problem can happen in their community and that it certainly would not touch their own children.

Other informants described the past year in Boise as a traumatic one, including the September killing of a Boise policeman. There were also a number of police-related shootings reported in the past l8 months, creating unusual stress in the community.

Drug Awareness and Behavior Reported by Youth and Parents

Separate focus groups were held with youth and parents. Youth in grades 4-6 seemed to have limited knowledge about drugs. However, when probed about their awareness of any anti-drug messages, some youth in this group did offer that ads on TV sometimes catch their attention for a minute or more. Some children in this age group reported that they had learned about the dangers of drugs from their parents or a school counselor. Youth in grades 7-9 asserted that anti-drug ads were dull and depressing. They claimed that "they already learn that stuff in school" and that "some ads strike fear, but they don't show the results." When asked how much they know about illegal drugs, youth in grades 7-9 indicated they know a lot about marijuana, acid, alcohol, cocaine, inhalants, rubber cement, and cleaning solvents. The 7th-9th-grade girls seemed especially knowledgeable about anti-drugs TV ads as well as other sources of pro-drug information and influences. Several of these youth reported that they know adults (e.g., a successful businessman, parents, and a stepfather) who use drugs. A number of 7th-9th graders reported on the wide use of crank, offering comments such as "we are the biggest crank capitol." Overall, the 7th-9th graders in the focus groups were very knowledgeable about drugs and illicit behavior.

Grade l0-l2 youth reported that they usually learned about drugs from their friends. They also noted that their parents appeared to be uncomfortable talking

to them about drugs, and that their parents know less about drugs than they do. These high school students also commented on the double standard used for school athletes who are caught using drugs. They may be suspended, but they are not taken off the team.

Parents were very aware of the TV PSAs with Milton Creagh and of the "Enough Is Enough" campaign. They claimed that anti-drug messages will not affect youth unless parents are involved. At the same time, parents admitted that their children know more about drugs than they do.

Community Drug Problems as Perceived by Community Key Informants

The key informants interviewed uniformly stated that tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and crank are the most prevalent drugs used by local youth. Use of heroin and LSD was thought to be relatively rare, while cocaine is used mostly by older people because it is relatively expensive.

The issue of drinking age was thought to be a contributing factor to the use of alcohol by underage youth. While the current legal drinking age in Idaho is 2l, it used to be l9, and many people still behave as though the law has not changed. Key informants agreed that drugs are easy to get for people in any age group.

Several informants talked about the differences in drug use among young people. In general, they believed that drug use per capita is higher in rural areas. They also thought that a common parental attitude is that "what goes on in [our] family is our business."

Some educators reported that youth obtain drugs from convenience stores and that marijuana is readily available on high school grounds. Local law enforcement officials confirmed the existence of small youth gangs in the community.

Awareness of Anti-Drug Advertising Prior to ONDCP Media Campaign

During the baseline site visit, key informants were asked to describe any anti-drug ads they had heard on radio or seen on TV or in local newspapers and magazines. Many local officials were supportive of the "Enough Is Enough" campaign and described it as a way to begin conversations about drug use in the schools at home. Even though the key informants were very aware of this and other community-initiated prevention efforts, they did not report any major media efforts other than the Creagh campaign being aimed at the drug problem.

Intermediate Findings Reported Three Months Into the ONDCP Media Campaign

The purpose of this section is to present information on respondents' perception of change related to drug awareness/attitudes in Boise since baseline, and respondents' awareness/views on the Media Campaign shortly after its implementation.

Recent Local Events Affecting Awareness/Attitudes Toward Drugs

During the followup site visit 3 months later there was tremendous activity underway to prepare for the next Milton Creagh appearance. Billboards promoting the "Enough Is Enough" campaign could be seen throughout Boise. "Enough Is Enough" materials, including sweatshirts and literature, had been distributed to the schools. Thousands of parents and youth were expected to attend meetings in school gymnasiums and at the city stadium in the next week. The Creagh campaign also was to include speakers from Promise-Keepers who were to participate in the weekend events.

It is important to note that the Creagh campaign has a policy of not allowing their efforts to be subordinated to other prevention efforts. They negotiate to have their name displayed in the most prominent positions on TV and on billboards. The emphasis on the Creagh campaign might potentially divert attention from the ONDCP Media Campaign. Some key informants were concerned about the emphasis on using charismatic speakers and one-shot events. They argued for the need to mount an ongoing prevention campaign, similar to the ONDCP Media Campaign.

Other recent events affecting awareness of the drug problem in the community included a number of teenagers being arrested for drugs and six teenagers arrested for gang-related activities the week before the site visit.

Youth and Parent Reactions to the ONDCP Media Campaign

Separate focus groups were held with youth and parents. Youth in grades 6-9 noted that there had been more anti-drug ads on TV and on billboards in the last few months. They reported seeing the ads on TV mostly late in the evening. They were able to list the topics of the ads and they understood their messages. They thought the ads would only convince those who had never tried drugs that drugs are dangerous. They also reported that the ads made them think that they would never use drugs. They noted that they had heard some of their teachers talking about the ads, but they had not heard their parents or other adults discussing the ads.

Youth in grades l0-l2 also had noticed an increase in ads on TV, the radio, and on billboards. They were able to identify the messages of the ads. They commented that the ads on TV tended to be shown more often late at night and only two to threetimes during the early evening. They reported hearing them "every few minutes" on the radio. The high school students were able to distinguish between the ONDCP Media Campaign ads and those that were part of the "Enough Is Enough" campaign. High school students thought the ONDCP ads would reinforce the anti-drug message, but they did not think that the ads would teach them anything new. They reported that at their age they already knew all the facts, that they had been hearing the message for years, and that these ads would not change their way of thinking. They did agree, however, that the ads got their attention and that the ads would probably be most effective with low-risk and non-user youth. Students in this age group had not heard their parents discussing the ads. In planning future ads, high school students recommended that ads be targeted to younger students. They also noted that telling horror stories is not an effective way to reach youth. They recommended that the ads show "normal kids" and youth in both the suburbs and the cities.

Some parents had noticed an increase in the number of ads on TV, but they did not know who had sponsored the ads. They were somewhat skeptical that the ads could change attitudes or opinions among youth, but they did believe the ads would reinforce parents' ability to make decisions. They thought the ads they had seen were directed more at parents than at youth. Parents also recommended that mentoring programs be developed, asserting that the Media Campaign would only be successful if it was implemented in conjunction such programs.

Key Informants' Responses to the ONDCP Media Campaign

Awareness of the ONDCP Media Campaign among community informants was mixed. Some community planners who were heavily involved with the Creagh campaign had not heard about the ONDCP Media Campaign. However, most of those interviewed had seen some of the TV ads. Members of the faith and Hispanic communities had heard parents and professionals in their respective fields talking about the ads. They believed that parents who had seen the ads had a positive reaction to them.

Few community-initiated activities appeared to be underway in support of the ONDCP Media Campaign. One exception was a local RADAR (Regional Alcohol and Drug Awareness Resource) center that had posted an 800 number. The local PAYADA representative had also sent speakers into the schools to prepare school counselors and administrators for the ONDCP Media Campaign and to ensure that the Media Campaign's printed materials were distributed.

Key informants did report seeing more anti-drug ads on TV 3 months after the baseline visit. Generally, however, they did not know that they were sponsored by ONDCP. Over half of them thought the ads were part of the Milton Creagh campaign.

In terms of effectiveness, community informants generally agreed that the ads will not and cannot by themselves change behavior. What they can do is raise awareness; inform and reinforce ongoing positive actions by educators, parents, and youth; and stimulate debate. Community leaders believe that behavior change can only come about from continuous aggressive action and the influence of role models in the form of parents, educators, and community leaders. They commented that the ads will not be effective unless parents begin to "practice what they preach" and school officials begin to deal with the problems in their own classrooms. They did believe that the ads had the potential to prevent drug use among those not currently using and that they would raise awareness and provide useful information to youth and parents.

Many key informants made suggestions for improving future ads. They noted that while the ads were being shown late at night, they perceived that a better time to air them was during prime time or during programs that youth watch such as Party of Five and Beverly Hills 902l0. They also recommended putting more emphasis on realistic, hard-hitting messages; providing more facts on the dangers of drugs; showing ads that emphasize the pain of addiction; having a campaign that is continuous; and tailoring the ads to the local community drug problem.

Media Informants' Response to the ONDCP Media Campaign

Media representatives reported that they do not generally target specific drugs when they run an ad. None of the media outlet representatives interviewed had a formal policy regarding their anti-drug advertising approach to addressing drugs, alcohol, or cigarettes. Anti-drug ads are aired on an ad hoc basis; they are reactive, not proactive. There is no emphasis on prioritizing PSAs by topic. Policies and strategies are driven by sales. Most media representatives reported that PSAs are treated like any other paid ad. However, they did note that paid anti-drug ads would be given the same level of attention as any other paid advertisements. Media representatives had no perceptible response to the ONDCP Media Campaign since it was launched in January.

Followup Findings in Comparison Site of Eugene, OR

While Boise, Idaho, and Eugene, Oregon, reported similar drug problems and concerns during the baseline visits, there is one notable difference reported both at baseline and at the intermediate visit in Eugene. There are influential citizen forces in Eugene dedicated to decriminalizing distribution and possession of marijuana. In fact, among many groups interviewed, it was reported that much of Eugene's population tacitly approves of marijuana use. The most popular illegal drugs in the Eugene area are marijuana and methamphetamine. Local growing of marijuana has been a problem in Eugene for a long time. The local liberal attitude toward marijuana use was reported as having contributed to the problem. Annual events like the Hemp Festival and the Country Fair have been instrumental in fostering an air of legitimacy regarding the use of marijuana.

Since the baseline visit to Eugene, several local events had affected awareness and attitudes regarding drug problems. In Mapleton, a neighboring community, there had been law enforcement arrests of methamphetamine labs. News coverage of drinking problems among some University of Oregon football players also has been covered in the press. In addition, several drug- and alcohol-related crimes, and their associated court cases, had received media coverage in and around Eugene. Much local media attention had been paid to the movement to decriminalize possession of marijuana in the statewide election in November 1998. Finally, the most visible anti-substance use campaign in Eugene, the anti-tobacco war, is being waged using State tobacco tax dollars.

Youth focus groups were asked about their awareness of any new anti-drug ads on TV and radio, or in the newspapers. Youth did mention anti-drug commercials broadcast during Saturday and Sunday morning cartoon programs. Many youth were familiar with the anti-chewing tobacco radio announcements being aired. Parents in the focus groups acknowledged being exposed to many of the same announcements mentioned by their children. They were particularly aware of the anti-tobacco ads and had heard some anti-chewing tobacco radio announcements. Parents reported very little awareness of anti-drug advertisements other than the fried egg ad. This appeared to be a reference to the original PSA produced by PDFA and shown years ago, prior to the launching of the ONDCP Media Campaign.

Summary of Intermediate Findings

In Boise, one of the l2 target markets for the Media Campaign, there is a heightened awareness of the Media Campaign among youth and parents. Youth in the 7th-9th and l0th-l2th grades in particular have seen the ads and remember their messages and the times they viewed them. They said they have mixed reactions to them and believe they may have the potential to change awareness and attitudes, but not behavior. The parents in Boise also remember the new ads on TV but believe that they must be accompanied by mentoring programs to be effective. Most youth, parents, and community informants who were aware of the new ads did not know that they had been sponsored by ONDCP. The recent and heavy influence of the Milton Creagh Campaign in Eugene undoubtedly accounts for some of these findings. In Eugene, which is not targeted by the Media Campaign, there was much recognition given to other anti-substance campaigns, primarily those targeting the tobacco industry.