A new anti-drug campaign aimed at kids may reach them where others have not, by appealing to their sense of vanity. “From Drugs to Mugs” was the brainchild of Deputy Bret King of Multnomah County, Oregon Shocking mug shots reveal toll of addiction – Health – Addictions – msnbc.com
The 48-minute documentary consists of a CD that includes before and after mug shots of drug users, and will hopefully scare kids straight when they see how drug use ravages the body, sometimes within the period of months From Drugs to Mugs.
A picture is worth a thousand words?
What is so striking in the photos is how quickly the face is damaged, leaving the drug users barely recognizable in some instances. Thomas McLellan who is the director of the Center for Substance Abuse Solutions at the University of Pennsylvania explains why. Meth causes the small blood vessels of the face to constrict, which causes the rapid deterioration of the teeth and gums. Impurities in the drugs cause cysts all over the body, and poor nutrition and no sleep accelerate the process. The drug user is transformed, sometimes with a couple of months, into a shell of their former self.
Creators hope that the “in your face” nature of the program will reach kids on a more visceral level, rather than something abstract.