New anti-marijuana ad campaign uses cages

A campaign to discourage Colorado youths from using marijuana titled “Don’t Be a Lab Rat” will use human-sized rat cages and television and movie-theater ads.

The Denver Post reports (http://goo.gl/QGTPpQ ) that the goal of the campaign is to tell teens about the uncertainty surrounding the effects of pot, instead of focusing on scaring them like some anti-meth commercials.

The $2 million campaign launching Monday was commissioned by the governor’s office and uses money from legal settlements with pharmaceutical companies. A handful of rat rages will be displayed throughout Denver with campaign messaging, including one calling for volunteers for a lab experiment.

Teens will also be directed to a website, DontBeALabRat.com, to read studies on the possible consequences of pot use.