A state ad campaign targeted at men who have sex with men is under way. The ads feature a diverse group of gay and bisexual men talking about how methamphetamine use has affected their lives. Posters and billboards started appearing earlier this month, and a cable TV ad premiered Monday, March 17. The ads, which direct people to the Web site www.menotmeth.org, are part of a state-sponsored effort to prevent methamphetamine use and encourage current users to stop and seek help. The campaign cost about $11.6 million. The 30-second TV ad features tired-looking men appearing separately in a dark room, speaking to the camera as if it were a Web cam. One says, "I lost my job, I lost my man ...," and another tells viewers, "I lost my common sense and got HIV."The Web site invites users to submit their own stories, do a self-assessment, and find places to get help.The TV ad was directed by Joel Schumacher, who's also responsible for movies such as Batman Forever and St. Elmo's Fire . The ad is expected to air through September.Renee Zito, director of California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs, expects the campaign to be effective."The whole campaign is about loss ... and the grief over the loss of your looks, your family, your friends, your career and then, finally, yourself," said Zito, who noted the campaign features real people. "It is depressing, and it was meant to be, because what research showed is in the gay community, what would be most effective would be to listen to a real person talk about the losses they've experienced in their life." SOURCE OF THIS STORY