The Idaho Meth Project and Office of Drug Policy Host Screening of "Out of Reach" -- a Teen Filmmaker's Short Film about Medicine Abuse

Press Release

The Idaho Meth Project and the Idaho Office of Drug Policy will hold a special screening of "Out of Reach" -- a short documentary about medicine abuse created by teen filmmaker Cyrus Stowe, at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 12 at the Flicks in Boise.

Geared toward parents, the film provides a bird's-eye view on the prescription drug abuse epidemic happening among teens. Following the film there will be a short panel discussion from Idaho's leading experts in prescription drug abuse, led by First Lady Lori Otter.

Texas native and high school student Cyrus Stowe was selected by the entertainment company Genart and The Partnership at Drugfree.org to create a film with the help of director Tucker Capps (of A&E's "Intervention"). "Out of Reach" captures the issue of teen prescription drug abuse as it exists in Cyrus' world, and is a reflection of the issue of teen medicine abuse across the country.

"My goal was to raise awareness about just how many teens are abusing medicine. Until I started talking to my friends and making this film, I didn't know the true scope of the problem, so I can't imagine many parents understand either," said Stowe. "I also have a personal connection to the issue, and making this film was truly a life-changing journey."

Idaho ranks fourth among U.S. states for nonmedical pain reliever abuse among people ages 12 and older, and one in five Idaho students have taken a prescription drug without a doctor's prescription. "The Idaho Office of Drug Policy has made this issue a priority, and has set a goal to reduce prescription drug related deaths by 10 percent by 2014. We are excited to team up with the Idaho Meth Project, a known leader in substance abuse prevention in our state, to bring this event to Idaho," said Idaho Office of Drug Policy Administrator, Elisha Figueroa.

Idaho's First Lady, who will moderate the panel discussion, hopes parents will bring an open mind and lots of questions. "This film is a teen's wakeup call to parents. Seeing how rampant prescription drug abuse is in a typical American high school will help put this dangerous behavior on parents' radar and motivate them to take action," Lori Otter. "We are proud to partner with The Partnership at Drugfree.org to shed light on this epidemic and motivate families and communities to take action."

After the screening the Office of Drug Policy will preview Idaho's new statewide prevention campaign -- "Lock Your Meds Idaho" -- an initiative to educate adults on the proper storage and disposal of medications.

The event begins at 7:00 PM. Tickets to the event are free but limited seating is available. Attendees must be 18 or older unless accompanied by an adult. To learn more about the film and RSVP for the event, visit www.IdahoMethProject.org or call 208-331-2060.

Media are invited to arrive early and interview the evening's speakers and panelists at 6:30 p.m. prior to the start of the event.

About The Idaho Office of Drug Policy

The Idaho Office of Drug Policy (ODP) was established by HB 106 (Idaho Code 67-821). The Idaho Office of Drug Policy leads Idaho's substance abuse policy and prevention efforts by developing and implementing strategic action plans and collaborative partnerships to reduce drug use and related crime, thereby improving the health and safety of all Idahoans.

About the Idaho Meth Project

The Idaho Meth Project is a nonprofit organization that implements large-scale, research-based campaigns and community action programs to reduce methamphetamine use in Idaho. Central to its integrated campaigns is MethProject.org, a definitive source for information about Meth for teens. The Idaho Meth Project is affiliated with The Partnership at Drugfree.org, a national non-profit organization working to help families solve the problem of teen substance abuse. For more information, visit www.IdahoMethProject.org.

About The Partnership at Drugfree.org

Ninety percent of addictions start in the teenage years. The Partnership at Drugfree.org is dedicated to solving the problem of teen substance abuse. Together with experts in science, parenting and communications, the nonprofit translates research on teen behavior, addiction and treatment into useful and effective resources for both individuals and communities. Working toward a vision where all young people will be able to live their lives free of drug and alcohol abuse, The Partnership at Drugfree.org works with parents and other influencers to help them prevent and get help for drug and alcohol abuse by teens and young adults. The organization depends on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and the public sector and is thankful to SAG-AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity. If you or someone you know is struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, please call The Parents Toll-Free Helpline at 1-855-DRUGFREE. To learn more about the issue of medicine abuse, visit drugfree.org/MedicineAbuseProject.

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