Ex-Addict Regrets Poster (my title)

Yahoo News ^ | AP Photo

[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.