Shocking Pictures Show Consequences of Drug Use

Mar 1, 2011 66 comments

A new anti-drug campaign that shows disturbing before and after photos of drug users’ faces, may succeed where others have failed, grabbing teens’ attentions by appealing to their vanity. The pairs of mug shots, which graphically display the damage drugs can do to the face, were collected by the sheriff’s office in Multnomah County, Ore.

The photos are part of a 48-minute documentary called “From Drugs to Mugs,” created by Deputy Bret King. King hopes that the documentary, which is available on a DVD along with a CD of mug shots, will help scare kids straight by showing them concrete evidence of damage that can occur within months from using meth, heroin or cocaine.

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The most stunning feature of the photos is how quickly the face is damaged. Faces that were normal, even attractive, metamorphose over years, and sometimes just months, into gaunt, pitted, even toothless wrecks.

A. Thomas McLellan, director of the Center for Substance Abuse Solutions at the University of Pennsylvania, explains, “Meth can cause small blood vessels around the face to constrict. So consequently, the gums shrink as they do in old age. The teeth that remain can become discolored and black.”

“Both meth and heroin are often cut with sugar”, McLellan explains. “And you get acne from oily or sweet things, so if you’re injecting the sugar into your veins it’s even more direct,” he adds.

The gaunt look on many of the addicts can be the result of poor nutrition and lack of sleep, says Dr. Larissa Mooney, an addiction psychiatrist and an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, Los Angeles.

As for the facial sores: Sometimes meth users will hallucinate and get the sensation that there are bugs crawling under their skin, Mooney says. Trying to get relief, they’ll sometimes pick at their skin until there are open sores.

Experts can’t say whether the program will work, but Mooney and McLellan are hopeful.

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[via MSNBC]

Comments

  1. how much photoshop was used here? did any one else see the misshapen heads in some of the after pics?

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    Replies
    1. Yupp I totally say the heads not shaped right. Like almost a rounded triangle.Not saying drugs don't change your looks. I HATE DRUGS& how lives are destroyed.

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    2. There was no photo shop done. It really does that crap. Go look at the pics for meth mouth.

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    3. Yes it does do this to people ...there features change so drastically that the shape of their face head and body will never look the same ...i hate drugs exsist too....

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  2. There was no photoshopping, my biological mother was addicted to heroin, and she went from such a beautiful person to an aboslute wreck inside and out. Trust me, this is all real

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  3. picture 18 actually became better than before LOL

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    Replies
    1. Lol I know she looks better hi and blonde

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    2. So not funny!!! These people are addicts and just ruined themselves and you wanna laugh at!!!

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    3. Just look at her eyes, it looks like she's lost

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    4. God help these people, and anyone else that's on drugs... This isn't a laughing situation it's serious and prayer need to go up!!

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  4. No wonder your anonymous, your addicted and cant face the fact you look just like these people that need help. Please go get it before its to late. I am here to get pictures of the the poor souls to build a following to wipe this out! Want to join?

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    Replies
    1. Only drug addicts can't see the difference, or they just don't want to confront it because its obvious when someone is in drugs.

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  5. I don't think these are photoshopped. It's quite sad.

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  6. i m sure all r in hell condition

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  7. They all look lost! Let's hope they can find God.... He's the only one who can save them.

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    Replies
    1. That is one big lie, they did it to themselves, they chose the wrong path. How you gonna blame God for what these people did to themselves

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  8. We pray for all drug users,and people that have food addiction.

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  9. one of the first things to lose shape is the head dummy

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  10. Very sad. i too was addicted and over came my drug addiction, now I am studying to become a drug counselor. Thanks to mu father God.

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  11. Yep....drugs are bad.....illegal and legal..fckn ciggarettes are the worst

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  12. Yep. People lose themselves in their addiction. Its not their fault. No one wakes up like hey I think I'm gonna get addicted to drugs today. My sons father was an addict, passed away 5/11 of an overdose. My sister is currently a recovering addict. Always will be. It does shity things to a person and you don't care about your looks your family NOTHING just chase that next high.

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    1. It is their fault!!! They're the ones who chose to do it and they could have stopped it. I don't give them any pity in the least bit!!!

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    2. It was their choice to start using drugs to begin with so yes it is their fault.

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    3. if you put it into your veins, or however you do it then you did wake up one morning and decided at some point during that day that you were gonna ruin your life. ijs

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  13. My daughter is on and off on tik my son smokes dagga from morning to eveing he say he is a Rasta.

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    1. I'm very sorry, that must be hard for you. My sister is a heroin addict and all I want to do is rescue her, she takes advantage of this. I can't even hang out with her anymore because I want to save her and I can't. But when I did I always told her I loved her, I would buy her food to make sure she's eating, etc. and it wasn't working I can't save her, she has to want to save herself before I can help her. And that kills me because I don't know if she'll ever want to.

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  14. i myself am a recovery mother going on 4 yrs in july my higher power nd my children saved me i dont judge i just pray my family members dont fall like myself

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  15. It's a well known medical fact that people who get addicted to drugs have a body that makes less endorphins than regular people. Americans' lack of scientific education is why, with the highest numbers of drug addicts, they're still the most judgmental people in the world. Switzerland citizens voted to GIVE heroin to addicts with supervision. Result? Within the 1st year, no more dealers, of ANY drugs somehow, number of overdoses down to ZERO, and over 50% of people asking on their own to ramp down so they can stop, while almost 90% were now working since they no longer had to spend the day acquiring drugs. Crime levels plummeted as well! Now, years later, there are no new addicts, most have stopped completely, and the few left are near done. Unfortunately, about 2% of people cannot stop as it changes the brain to the point of it never making endorphins again. That means they are depressed with no drive, appetite, energy, etc... Medicine needs to catch up for these 2%... I opened my eyes when I did research for a documentary. I'm glad. God considers pointing the finger a sin...

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    1. America needs to take a cue from Switzerland then. Best idea with the best possible outcome.

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    2. Couldn't have say it better!

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    3. Thank you for making this remark! I hope one day we can all be understanding and not judge.

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  16. By the way, I read somewhere on a news site that Russia has a new drug that damages and kills much faster than Meth! Some kids are left with major brain damage! So sad...

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  17. So sad american society never see this in my country

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  18. I dont feel sorry for them. Noone forced them to take it

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    Replies
    1. Yeah but you don't know what has happened in their lives either.

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    2. come on show some mercy, you could have been in such situation as well .. all of us ! it's a damn disease and they need help rather than judging !!

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  19. There are other ways to deal with low endorphins and depression. Addiction is selfish. No one held a gun to their head and said "please, suck on this pipe of pure poison". I watched my brother destroy our family because of his selfish addiction. And it took for him to lose his son for him to snap out of it and kick the heroin and realize how selfish he was. I applaud all former addicts because recovery is a hard a but rewarding experience

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  20. these guys need god lmao half of them look better than before

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  21. I was addictd for 3 yrs i lost my job and my home ended up in a shared house in derby through derby housing aid. They had two guys also in this house an yes i got talking an became friends an then introduced to heroin through these guys . I needed help so went back to dha. Reported what had happened they made a tv documentry they began to help tgen when they thought they had done enough they washed tgere hands of me and kicked me back down again i beat it by myself. It took time and pain but i tell u it can happen to any person .. thanks for nothing derby housing aid. Heroin is a horrible subsrance but ignorance is as much to blame. An yes determination and will but also a bit of understanding and help is all it takes to turn someones life around and stay on track.i still think about the past it will never leave me. But i also think of the extreme pain and suffering this drug caused when i decided no more and kicked my habit. B brave do the same stay sane know ur goal and every day is a step to the life u deserve and love. X

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  22. sad huh! their fault


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  23. wow thats just sad to be honest

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  24. avoid the drugs
    against the drugs
    aware the drugs

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  25. Drug addiction is real stupid habbit.yea they are realy selfish.please stop this bad habbit.if u stop it.it will be ur successful life turning point.

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  26. blody hell why does there faces change so much

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  27. We are not allowed to judge but one thing is for sure if some one spikes your drink and you are addicted after that common really you think that is possible , you're other statement reads some one forced them . You can lead a horse to the water but you cant make it drink my friend . Using drugs is a choice people love to pass the bucket and give every thing and every one the fault for their mistakes and shitty choices but at the end of the day if you don't want to do it you wont or you will make a choice to stop and get help . How ever making comments about these people and saying you hope they rot what makes you a better person than them . You both need to grow up and realize that you are both judgmental and wrong

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  28. This is really gross and these are real affects because i have seen them first hand

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  29. I know of some addicts that are in my family. It doesn't matter if it is alcohol or drugs. They are selfish people. You intake alcohol or drugs enough, you become an addict. Everyone knows that. I have no pity for an addict. It usually starts because they feel bad for themselves due to problems. I have had to endure tragedies. I am not an addict. A person has the CHOICE to be what they want to be. I pity the families that have to endure them. I will not help one or give them the time of day. They look out for #1, and that's themselves folks. I don't praise recovering addicts either. The hell that they put their parents, spouse, children, brothers, sisters, or friends through can never be forgiven or forgotten.

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  30. last comment is such a dick statement... shame on you... you should always praise someone for whatever good change they made in their life......n obviously your not a family person bc you would be there for them when they were ready for the help...n you call them selfish... haha good one

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  31. Well, most of these people look kind of disturbed in the before-pictures too (mostly the look in the eyes, like they're very angry with the world and wary), so they were probably already having psychological problems and trying to self-medicate.

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  32. Yeah, noticed that too, psychological imbalance is definitely a risk factor for addicition, that's why free acces to health care is so important.

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  33. The first picture breaks my heart. You can see the pain in her eyes...

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  34. Real pictures peeps. Drugs don't make you any sexier!!!

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  35. hardcore addicts that just decided to smoke meth one day and got addicted is one thing. But I personally know of a few people who have had major back problems and surgeries that have been on pain medication prescribed by the doctor for several years and after a while the doctors have to keep giving them stronger and stronger medication to keep the pain away. There was a documentary not too long ago about how this has been going on for the last 5 years and when the DEA comes knocking at the Dr door because they're prescribed in a little bit more pain medication than other doctors they sometimes cut off the patients that don't have the most severe cases. What they don't tell people is pain medication is just as addicting as heroin so when these people who have been on pain medication for several years are all of a sudden cut off they're faced with the choice of sit at home for 2 to 3 weeks sick going through withdrawls and most likely lose their jobs or get pills illegally. A lot of them decide to buy pills from other people with the intent to wean themselves down without realizing how hard this is to do. According to the documentary a lot of people who have been taking pain medication prescribed by the doctor for a few years have a 100 to 300 milligram a day tolerance and on the street pain medication goes for almost a dollar milligram. They said this is happening to every type of person in society mothers, fathers, teachers, police officers, lawyers, dentists, and anyone else you can think of. In cases like this I think it's sad that medical community gets people addicted to opiate based medications without telling them how addicting they are. I certainly wouldn't want to be standing in their shoes.

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  36. education is the first step in understanding why people use alcohol or drugs. This is something I think a lot of the people writing comments should try first before they write their negative comments. Would you degrade someone with cancer? Someone with an eating disorder? Diabetes? Mental issues? As a Substance Abuse Councilor and former Consumer of Alcohol (I really don't like labels) I can tell you there are some things we as people just have no control over. And to be clear, there usually are two or more issues to deal with (comorbidity). I'm not here to teach or ride my soapbox, I'm just saying.

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  37. My sister got straight A's basically her whole life. She took honors classes in high school still got straight A's was given the opportunity to join the National Honor Society and she did. She loved school, I hated school. She would always get upset at me when I would make us late and we would miss first hour. I thought she was crazy any other high schooler would love to being missing first hour with me. Anyway she graduated and that's when she began dating her bf, they dated for 4 or 5 years. Somewhere in that time he became abusive broke her nose, busted her lip, ect. She never told me how those things actually happened til much later. She did tell me that he would hit her but she justified it by saying she would slap him sometimes too. My sister weighs less than 100lbs. I don't think she ever should have slapped him but she never broke any bones or caused any blood for that matter, she should have left. My sister had this very unhealthy need for him. He is the one who introduced her to drugs and got her hooked on the worst one of all, heroin.

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  38. Damn, these pics are fuck horrible! They should be shown to children right from their childhood. The things taught in one's childhood usually stays in their minds.

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    1. Absolutely! Their druggie parents want their children to BELIEVE it cant happen to them, and they STLL cant figure out why they are welfare!!

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    2. It's not even "hardcore addicts" ... most people are in denial about the detriment of using drugs and alcohol, and ANY drug, including marijuana perpetuates that fallacy.

      Americans who tote this false belief are ruining this country. Rand Paul is a conceited whack job .. the drugs have gotten to his head, as well as his ignorant conceits! Tlak about destroying America fro m the inside out!

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  39. MOST EXCELLENT REFERENCE!!!

    To the rest of you who think being a stoner is okay, especially those who only care to justify their irresponsibility and ignorance, good luck with your sorry loser lives!

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  40. A few of these guys like the first two black guys and one of the white guys towards the bottom of the list dont look like they do drugs....they look like they just aged which can be expected in the 7 year time span.

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  41. My question is that how can you get your full face back ?

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