A new anti-drug campaign is charting new ground in its efforts to keep kids from experimenting with drugs. Rather than focusing on the negative health effects of drugs as many such campaigns do, the sheriff's office in Multnomah County, Oregon, decided to focus on what some teens may be even more concerned about: their appearance.
"From Drugs to Mugs""From Drugs to Mugs" uses before and after mug shots of meth, cocaine, and heroin users to get its point across. For image-conscious teens, this may be the ticket. Seeing an average, or even attractive looking man or woman prior to drug use, and then seeing that person again after drugs have taken their toll, sends a very powerful message. It helps eliminate the "this could never happen to me" denial that many teens experience. By having the "before" picture to look at, teens are forced to see the addict as a regular person, just like themselves.
The pictures are disturbing, mainly due to the stark differences in the person's appearance in the short amount of time between the two pictures. It is a stark and realistic picture of the damage that drug use can do to a person's physical appearance.
Development of "From Drugs to Mugs"
The officers began this project by interviewing 500 high school students about the factors that would influence their decision to try or not to try drugs. They used the results to formulate questions for the documentary.
"From Drugs to Mugs" is created by the same people responsible for the "Faces of Meth" campaign, which also used before and after photos to get its point across. "From Drugs to Mugs" differs because it puts this content in the form of a 48-minute documentary designed for classroom use and also includes interviews with drug users and law enforcement officers. Deputy Bret King from the Multnomah County sheriff's office in Oregon is available for classroom presentations.
How to Order "From Drugs to Mugs"You can also order the materials and create your own presentation for students. Only $25 will buy the "From Drugs to Mugs" documentary on DVD, which, according to the website, includes "interviews and real world experience regarding drug use in today's society. Purchasers will also receive a CD that contains 22 PDF before and after images of inmates with drug problems."
Drug use among teens is a growing and devastating problem with no easy solutions. The "Drugs to Mugs" program is an inexpensive yet powerful message for today's teens.
Susan Carney - I have been working as a middle school counselor with 6th and 7th grade students for the past thirteen years. I received a BA in ...
Join the Conversation