Ex-Addict Regrets Poster (my title)

Yahoo News ^ | AP Photo

[Frapster]

About a month ago, ex-addict Penny Wood avoided a prison term by agreeing to let authorities use these before-and-after photos of her to steer people away from the ravages of methamphetamine use. Now, she regrets the deal, saying the fliers have become an embarrassment for her, her children and grandchildren. (AP Photo/Pekin Times, Tazwell County State's Attorney)

[Frapster]

Every now and then I see something that reminds me that some issues are just not very complicated. I saw this on Yahoo photos and thougth I'd share.

[Frapster]

Form of... uh... oh my gosh! (ping)

[Freebird Forever]

That's a lot of damage / aging in four years.

Pray she stays clean. Judging by how fast the meth was destroying her, she won't last much longer if she doesn't.

[Texas_Jarhead]

that's a powerful testimony

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Her embarassament proves that this type of publicity is only negative, and may in fact have a lasting impact on younger people who are unaware of the devastating side effects of drug use. Her shame, is the whole point, I would imagine. I can understand her emotions in this, but I think it may actually have a positive impact on young people. This is a positive outcome of this publicity, and maybe one day, she will understand that.

[Frapster]

You know - you're exactly right. Thanks for the comments.

[wi jd]

Which one is the before picture?

[ladyinred]

that's a powerful testimony

Exactly, much more powerful than the egg in the frying pan.

[WSGilcrest]

The Downward Spiral:

[Travis McGee]

Amen. The sting of her shame may be turned to a great positive for thousands of kids. God bless her in her struggles.

[Texas_Jarhead]

man, how sad

[bannie]

Is that real?

[Newbomb Turk]

Bill Clinton would still do her.

[VRWC_minion]

On the left is a Freeper at the start of the day, and on the right is the same Freeper at 2:00 am after following live threads all day.

[Frapster]

wow - that last one looks kinda like Gillian Anderson!

[bannie]

IF the person she was in Photo #1 could have had the benefit of having seen Photo #12, I'll bet that #2 through 12 would not have developed.

WHAT A DETERRANT!!!

[Ramius]

...but I think it may actually have a positive impact on young people...

No, it doesn't. These "drugs will destroy your life" ad campaigns are a waste of effort. People, teens especially, never really think that the bad outcome will really happen to *them*. They think they can handle it. They drive fast because they don't think they will crash. They can use drugs and not get addicted. The bad stuff happens to other people.

Besides, nobody starts doing drugs because they think it will be *good* for their health. They do it because it is fun and it feels good.

Heck, even the woman in this picture had it happening to *her* in *real time* and it wasn't enough to make her quit.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I'll bite... what is her FR screen name?

[Frapster]

You know - i feel bad for laughing in a thread like this. Even worse because it's my thread. But that really cracked me up.

[mr.pink]

Left - David Cassidy circa 1972....Right - Axel Rose circa 2002.

Scarey drug that meth. I hope she can stay clean.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Well, from personal experience, I can say that watching one woman who was eight years older than me destroy her body, her mind, her family, and her soul, made me wake up! Now, that wasn't the only factor, of course. But, it certainly made me think!

[Frapster]

I disagree in part. Images such as this serve as a reminder to some that there's no such thing as recreational participation. That there are consequences. There's value in reinforcing certain messages. There's no value whatsoever in a fatalistic approach to life.

[chance33_98]

Who needs hollywood makeup artists? Just get hooked and viola! You too can look frightfully different. Imagine what it does to the inside of a person...

[Ramius]

Now, that wasn't the only factor, of course. But, it certainly made me think!

Were you of a mind to consider becoming a drug user yourself at the time?

[Kevin Curry]

No, it doesn't. These "drugs will destroy your life" ad campaigns are a waste of effort.

How do you know that? Your presume to speak on behalf of all young people, but the only person you can really speak for is yourself.

The truth is more likely this: it will make a difference to some young people and no difference to others. As far as I'm concerned if it persaudes just a few to kids quit using meth or to never start, it is arguably worth it.

[Ramius]

There's value in reinforcing certain messages. There's no value whatsoever in a fatalistic approach to life.

But that's just it. The people that see a campaign like this and think "Wow, how awful" are people that already "get it" about drugs and wouldn't have considered becoming a user anyway.

The people who don't "get it" won't be persuaded by something that happened to somebody else. They may think that the person in the picture is a "loser", but for a different reason. She's a "loser" because she "couldn't handle it". There isn't a teenager in the world that thinks *they* are vulnerable to the problems that other people have had. They'll have just as many friends that are users and they are still smart, attractive, and fun people to be around. To them, this is just another lie about drugs that they've seen so many times before.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I was a drug user! But, it didn't take much interaction with many people who had very little energy, no goals in life, and no self-esteem, to realize it wasn't the best of possible worlds. The woman I mention, had everything going for her, a wonderful, wonderful life.

She wasn't street-trash, and neither was I. We both started out just having fun. For whatever reasons, she got sucked into it much more than I did, and could never climb back out.

I grew out of the youthful-experimentation phase, and haven't tried any illegal drugs in over eleven years. So, for whatever reasons, I crawled out of the hole, and this woman didn't. I look at it as, I could easily have fallen down this slippery slope, too. I thank God that I was saved from this dangerous atmosphere.

[Kevin Curry]

There isn't a teenager in the world that thinks *they* are vulnerable

Again, how do you know that? Are you omniscient?

[dennisw]

Just more proof we should legalize such poisons! (/sarcasm)

[Pan_Yans Wife]

I second that, Kevin... and I will also say that I always knew I was a vulnerable person, always feared the danger in the world. Now that I have grown up, I have learned that evil does exist, and that the devil will use any means necessary to lure innocents in. Maybe it was my fear of danger, that saved me, but I would rather say it was God!

[AnAmericanMother]

Here's another set, from the Hollywood FL PD:

"Before" (November 1979)

"After" (January 1989)

The full sequence of mug shots is here:

Effects of Drugs and Prostitution Over Time

I've been in the law biz for years, and unfortunately a lot of crystal meth addicts who are regular customers at the courthouse look this bad. It is nasty stuff.

[gcruse]

Embarrassment or prison. Hmmmm. Regret has such a short memory.

[Kevin Curry]

I have known young people who backed away from the drug culture after dabbling in it and seeing the horrific consequences in the lives of others. I don't presume to know the hearts of all young people, but I have known some who have been delivered from the fire.

[Ramius]

How do you know that?

I was a teenager once, that's how I know.

The "if it only helps one child" bit is getting a little tiresome though, isn't it? Time, effort and money are limited resources that should be spent in the most effective ways possible, not the least.

Meth came around a little after my time. I can't speak to that with any authority other than even the stoner friends I've had, who may smoke a little pot now and then, even *they* regard crystal meth as "bad medicine".

I'll admit that I don't know what would work better, but apart from being fatalistic I am *realistic* that the folks that are going to try meth are going to try it regardless of being told it is "bad".

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Their courage to walk away, should never be ignored. Thank God that they were strong enough to break from the enticement of drug use, and embark on their futures, free.

[Ramius]

I was a drug user! But, it didn't take much interaction with many people who had very little energy, no goals in life, and no self-esteem, to realize it wasn't the best of possible worlds.

Exactly my point. YOU decided that YOU didn't want to ruin your life with drugs (and kudos to you... btw). But you got into the "lifestyle" at first... completely ignoring all the messages that "drugs are bad...mmmKay?". You wouldn't have been any more effected by an ad like this one. It wasn't until you saw it for yourself that you pulled out.

That's exactly my point.

[Ramius]

Just more proof we should legalize such poisons! (/sarcasm)

So, are you saying that you would begin using drugs if they were legal?

[PLMerite]

God, I thought the first one *was* the "after" picture.

The real after picture is...where's my Zantec75 ?

[Kevin Curry]

I was a teenager once, that's how I know.

Okay, so you know yourself. Are you really suggesting that every teenager thinks, believes, and acts the same way you did?

And how do you know this is the "least effective" method of discouraging drug use? Since you're an expert, go ahead and list the top, say, 30 methods and rank them by effectiveness.

[PLMerite]

"These "drugs will destroy your life" ad campaigns are a waste of effort."

Not if they allow me to tell the bums "you were warned" when I kick them into the gutter.

[dennisw]

So, are you saying that you would begin using drugs if they were legal?

Nope. That you and many others would. If it were left up to me meth. pushers would be executed. Same for heroin and crack pushers

[Aarchaeus]

Just more proof we should legalize such poisons! (/sarcasm

No way it should be legalized. We have drug use eliminated now by having it outlawed. Let's keep it that way.

[Kevin Curry]

Or we could move to the Netherlands where because they've decriminalized dope no one uses it anymore.

[dennisw]

You prefer to see the drug user die while I prefer to try and execute the drug dealers.

[mr.pink]

It is nasty stuff.

The most dangerous drug on the scene...IMHO.

[hoot2]

"The truth is more likely this: it will make a difference to some young people and no difference to others"

its friday night. how many young people are home reading this?

[Kevin Curry]

What is your point? It's Friday night and my own teenagers are home watching television or working on a science fair project.

[Aarchaeus]

Just more proof we should legalize such poisons! (/sarcasm)

So, are you saying that you would begin using drugs if they were legal?

Not just him. If drugs were legalized, everybody would feel compelled to start using them. Another thing: Alcoholism destroys people this way, too. Obviously, it needs to be eliminated by being outlawed, like drug use has.

[AnAmericanMother]

God, I thought the first one *was* the "after" picture.

In one sense it is. She was already using the first time they busted her. The website notes that they don't have a picture of her before she began using. The sequence of about ten photos is really sad.

"She was somebody's mother; she was somebody's child," as the old song goes. . . . and odds are she's dead and buried by now, over ten years later.

[BunnySlippers]

I'm glad you posted this. I had lost the link. This one (to me) is the most shocking.