Pubdate: Mon, 27 Nov 2006
Source: Asheville Citizen-Times (NC)
Copyright: 2006 Asheville Citizen-Times
Contact:  http://www.citizen-times.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/863
Author: Adam Behsudi

ANTI-DRUG POSTERS HIT THE STREETS

ASHEVILLE - It has been a year since Carl Mumpower started handing 
out hundreds of anti-drug posters from the trunk of his car.

Despite mixed reactions to the red posters from the 
Asheville-Buncombe Drug Commission and not knowing whether the 
message is really getting out, Mumpower said he has no plans to stop.

"We're pulling no punches with our posters," said Mumpower, chairman 
of the drug commission and city council member. "We're trying to pull 
the reality of hard drugs into the public eye."

The board commissioned some 10 posters, and Mumpower said there are 
plans to produce more showing before and after shots of people 
physically afflicted by drug use.

"We try to keep the whole ad really in your face and kind of 
emotional," said Matt Levin, art director for the Goss Agency, a 
local advertising agency responsible for designing the posters.

He said the posters were designed to catch the eye with a bold, red 
background. The subjects alternate between harsh, graphic images 
showing the physical affects of drugs and the positive aspects of a 
life without drugs.

"It's trying to sort of scare people away from starting," Levin said.

The Asheville Citizen-Times is paying for the printing of the 
posters, which Mumpower estimates to cost between $6,000 and $9,000 
for a year's worth.

In the city's public housing developments, where drug activity is 
more concentrated, the posters are especially important, said Housing 
Authority Director Gene Bell.

"I think we want people, especially the young people, to know the 
long-term effect this could have on them," he said. "You have to keep 
working on them."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman