Faces of Meth.

Crystalina wrote: http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/DrugIssue/M...aces/index.html

I've seen some of these before but it still amazes me. It's so self destructive.

lisar replied: OMG.... I have never done it. And NEVER will.

Crystalina replied: I don't understand why anyone would even try that stuff. It's just beyond my thinking I guess.

gr33n3y3z replied: yep dont they look just wonderful
other drugs do that also why bother

cameragirl21 replied: interesting...but how do they get the before pictures? they all seem to be done with a similar background and similar composition. i imagine even in the before shot they were already druggies, just starting out or just leaving their first rehab or something and then the after was their next rehab or arrest....

Insanemomof3 replied: I can't handle seeing these. Since my sister died from that crap. It makes me angrier. Why people are so stupid is beyond me.

Calimama replied: Wow how sad. I always hear about the effects but this is the first time I've seen them.

punkeemunkee'smom replied:
The story that I heard on one of the news channels was that these are all mug shots but when an officer was looking at several in a sequence he noticed how dramatic the damage to these people's physical appearance was and started compiling 'before and afters'. It is very sad and sick! I don't know what the draw is when it so clearly destroys the lives of those in and around it!

PrairieMom replied: wow. And THAT is why you "just say no"

luvbug00 replied: Ughhh that's just horrible.

Crystalina replied:
Yea, I'm sure they are all mugshots. You can also tell that most of them were already using when the first pic was taken because you can see the beginings of the scabs (before they started digging). A few of them are obviouse.

Old Mom Hubbard replied: I have Never even tried cigarette smoking; although now that I am much older I will enjoy a glass of wine now and then with dinner...but as for drugs of any kind (aside from the occasional medication from the doc) just too scary. I do not even take aspirin! I watched my mother and father do drugs, and how they acted, well even in school when offered any I explained about my folks and how they acted and NO WAY would I ever touch the stuff. My cousin smoked cigarettes heavily, and saw how just those things affected her. She actually ran out of cigs once and seemed desperate to get a cigarette from anyone. So she saw this guy smoking and asked if she could bum a cig off him. he handed her one. I went on my way to work, but later found out she was in the hospital, admitted to the ER as the cigarette she "borrowed" was coated with some drug, I think PCP or something nasty.

So even a cigarette, if "borrowed" could have had something "added" to it by the smoker. JUST TOO SCARY!

And as for meth, the users and former users were on some interview once, and the way they explain how it makes them feel, as though there are bugs crawling under their skin and they feel the need to dig into their skin to let the bugs out, that is why so many have scars and sores on their faces as that is the area it really seems to affect them...GROSS!!! My son is 18 now, and THANKFULLY he has no inclination of going near any of the stuff...not even a beer as he says it stinks and is just gross.

grapfruit replied: My mom struggles w/"using". Not Meth necessarily but things that are nearly as bad. I think she's a little better. She's never been arrested or in rehab (she doesn't think she has a problem). But she did lose her job, house, and car. These pictures make me sad. We can say those people are stupid until our faces turn blue (and be right!) but it doesn't change anything, and it doesn't make it hurt less...

HuskerMom replied: That is so sad!

Crystalina replied:
You are right. I'm sorry to hear about your mom. Hopefully she can/will find help. Unfortunatly not thinking you have the problem is the first problem. I'm sure you know that already. You seem to have a good head on your shoulders.
Many to you.

Nina J replied: You can tell a meth addict a mile off. It's so sad, why do they even start drugs? I feel for drug addicts, they're people just like me yet their lives are so different. I wouldn't want to be in their position.

Cece00 replied: Wow, scary. And I have to say- GOD, those ppl look like crap. Addiction is crazy in that they know they look like this and cant stop. I mean they really look BAD.

kimberley replied: that is so sad. my sis was hooked on meth for a while. thankfully she got a brain and got clean. the fifth pic of that lady looks like she aged from 30 to 100 in 3yrs.

i will prolly get negative feedback on this, but i showed the pics to my 10yo son. of course i explained what he was seeing and why that happened. it seemed quite effective. i don't think any kid can convince him that meth is cool now.

my2monkeyboys replied: It is such a horrible thing. I know 2 people that I've had to watch decline in much the same way as these in the photos over the last few years. It's so sad, yet there is nothing anyone can do about it.
I'm sorry for all of you who's families/friends have been hurt by this. It is just awful to have it so close to you.
As for showing your 10-yr-old, I applaud you. If it will keep him from making those mistakes, do whatever it takes. At this point in time children are being offered drugs at 8, 9, and even younger. We have to start talking to them much sooner than our parents did in an effort to steer them the right way.

jcc64 replied: I don't think there's anything inappropriate about showing those pics to your kids. A picture's worth a thousand words, right?

luvmykids replied: Drug addiction of any kind is heartbreaking. It's amazing how quickly meth takes it's toll.

Crystalina replied:
I agree. Izabella has seen them and she's only 5 (six next month). It's good to make an impression while they are young.

I would be a bad drug addict. I tried mariquana 3 differant times and I just don't get it. Any of it. I just don't get addicted easy. Now cigs were hard to stop before I had Izabella but once I got pg I stopped cold turkey. I think I could have stopped earlier but I think I just didn't want to.

holley79 replied: We have before and after picture here in the office. These are of people we deal with on a daily basis and it's not pretty. Especially when one of these girls I went to HS with, she was drop dead georgeous but she had her meth lab blow up on her.