Pubdate: Tue, 26 Aug 2014
Source: Daily Camera (Boulder, CO)
Copyright: 2014 The Daily Camera.
Contact:  http://www.dailycamera.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/103
Author: Mitchell Byars

BOULDER REJECTS 'DON'T BE A LAB RAT' CAGE AFTER BVSD BALKS AT TEEN 
POT CAMPAIGN'S PROP

City Official: 'It Didn't Seem Like It Would Be Appropriate for Boulder'

Acknowledging local school officials' objections, Boulder on Tuesday 
dropped plans to play host to one of the Colorado Department of 
Public Health's human-sized rat cages at a downtown park.

One of the "Don't Be a Lab Rat" teen marijuana-education campaign's 
12-foot-long, 8-foot-high cages - complete with a to-scale 
hamster-style water bottle - had been slated for a month-long 
installation at the corner of 13th Street and Arapahoe Avenue.

But Boulder officials said Tuesday morning that they'd put the 
display on hold while they looked into complaints from the Boulder 
Valley School District, which declined to participate in the 
education campaign.

By late afternoon, Boulder decided to scrap the cage altogether.

"The city had been considering it, and in understanding BVSD's input 
and concerns, and those raised by some in the community, it didn't 
seem like it would be appropriate for Boulder," city spokesman 
Patrick von Keyserling said.

BVSD Superintendent Bruce Messinger had objected to "Don't Be a Lab 
Rat" on the grounds that inviting teens into "a human-scale 'rat 
cage'" was not the most effective way to get the campaign's message across.

The "Lab Rat" display, targeting 12-to-15-year-olds, is part of the 
state's public education campaign about pot's potential to harm 
developing brains.

"Schizophrenia. Permanent IQ loss. Stunted brain growth," the 
campaign's website reads. "Still, some people question this research. 
Claiming the studies need to go deeper. Look further. But who will be 
their guinea pigs? Who's going to risk their brains to find out once 
and for all what marijuana really does?"

Dr. Larry Wolk, the executive director and chief medical officer at 
the state health department, said he was "a little disappointed" by 
the ofjections in Boulder decision, but said it was up to the city 
and the school district to decide whether they wanted to participate.

"I understand that everybody has a right to choose what they think 
will resonate and what they choose to prioritize," Wolk said. "Our 
intent is to have a campaign that gets kids talking to each other and 
get adults talking to kids about marijuana.

"We did not intend to relate kids to rats, but to emphasize a point 
that a lot of research still needs to be done."

Teens not sure cage would have impact

At Boulder High School - the closest BVSD school to where the display 
would have been - students had varied opinions on whether the message 
would resonate with their peers.

Jaime Avitia, 15, said that, as an athlete, he would be interested in 
knowing the possible health effects of marijuana.

"It would be helpful if you could see what could happen to you in the 
future," Avitia said. "For me, I play sports, so I wouldn't get involved."

But Hal Rutherford, 15, said he did not think the message would get 
through to teens.

"The kids my age aren't really open to listening to that sort of 
thing," Rutherford said. "I don't think it would really affect anyone."

'Getting people talking'

Messinger emailed all district principals prior to the launch of the 
cages in Denver, informing them that the district administration 
would formally oppose "Don't Be a Lab Rat."

"No BVSD school campus will be made available for the temporary 
siting of the 'rat cage' or distribution of campaign materials," he 
wrote in the email.

Additionally, Messinger raised concerns about the campaign posters 
possibly stigmatizing people who have been diagnosed with mental illness.

Briggs Gamblin, a spokesman with BVSD, said the district would not 
comment on the city's decision.

The campaign already has made two stops in Denver at the public 
library and the downtown skate park, and Wolk said it has gotten 
positive feedback, and that this was the first instance he was aware 
of where a school district or a city declined to participate.

"We've had a lot of positive feedback and folks from around the state 
interested in the campaign," Wolk said. "They're getting a lot of 
attention, so on the good-news side, people are certainly taking 
notice, and it's getting people talking."

But Wolk also acknowledged that the displays have had some issues 
with graffiti, but said at least it was getting a response.

"Again, it's people expressing themselves one way or the other," Wolk 
said. "If it helps provoke some reaction and provokes some 
discussion, we are accomplishing our goals."

Camera Staff Writer Alex Burness contributed to this report.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom