RENO, Nev. (KRNV & MyNews4.com) -- Once again, the community will lock arms in the fight against Crystal Methamphetamine use. On Wednesday, January 18th at 7:30 p.m., almost all televisions stations and several radio stations in Northern Nevada will be simultaneously airing the latest version of the award-winning series of anti-meth documentaries called Crystal Darkness.
The special 30-minute long Fifth Anniversary of Crystal Darkness documentary will once again be presented by Secret Witness, a local non-profit crime-fighting organization.
It was five years ago in January of 2007 when the first groundbreaking Crystal Darkness documentary aired on nearly all stations here locally in the region. Since initially launching locally, the Crystal Darkness Campaign spread throughout the country and beyond, with an estimated 25 million people having been impacted by this program.
Full roadblock campaigns occurred in Las Vegas, Oregon, Sacramento, San Diego, Arizona, New Mexico, El Paso, Colorado and Oklahoma. There were even full Crystal Darkness events in Ciudad Juarez and Sonora Mexico. In each area the program has aired, ratings have rivaled and even surpassed Super Bowl numbers. Inquiries regarding the campaign came from Russia, New Zealand and parts of Asia as the meth epidemic is a global issue.
Former First Lady Dawn Gibbons was instrumental in making the event a success in the state of Nevada and also helped to seed the campaign in other states throughout the nation.
Through the process the documentary and the media campaign earned both a Telly and an Emmy award.
The latest documentary, produced by local media agency Global Studio, features some of the best interviews and footage from the five year long campaign as well as new interviews with local experts in recovery, prevention and law enforcement. Nearly all media groups, including television, radio, print and billboard have played a role in promoting the show.
On the evening of the event, a call center featuring 23 phone lines will staffed with experts from the schools, recovery, prevention and law enforcement. Those with questions or seeking help can call the Crisis Call Center number seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The numbers are 775-825-HELP or toll free at 1-800-450-9530.
