MAN, WHERE IS THAT CAT? I e>SEN HERE1WO HOURSA'READ'Yt AN' I FEEL LIKE l 1M SHAKIN' APART!

2

THIS 19 EDDIE, ONE OF A ~UNCH OF .J"UNl<IE9 WAITING FOR THE ''cONNSCTION11 WHO 5ELL9

'THSM THEIR DOPE, ..

NO MATTl=R HOW 0L.A21NG HOT OR SITTER COLD IT MAY BE1 AN ADDICT SPENDS MOST OF HIS WAKING HOURS TRYING TO OBTAIN DRUGS AND THE MONEY 10 BUY

THEM ...

ONCE .I STOOD LI KE 5EVEN HOURS WAITIN' FOR THE MAN WHEN THE TEMPERATURE

WAS DOWN IO ZERO.

\\ONE:: TIME I WALkED FIFTY 13LOCK-9 WHEN THE

THE:RMOME.TSR SAID A HUNDRE~ EVEN THOUGH I WAS SO SICK I COULD HARDLY STAND, 'CAUSI= 'I HAD JUST ENOUt;;H DOUGH FOR THE .TUNK AND NONE FOR CARFA~S! /1

YEAH--WHAT HAVEN'T I DONE? I'VE LIED AND

CHEATED/ STOLEN FROM MY FAMIL'Y; EVEN TRJEDTO

SELL MY BLOOD--ANYTHING TO GET A ''FIX'/! ~

·I

" G I USS IT ALL STARTED WHEN I WAS HANGING AROUND WITH MY OLDER BROTHER

60B1S GANG, ,, '/

TAKEA DRAG OF POT, KID. YOU AIN'T CHICKEN

ARE YOU?

HEYi MAN ... GREAT! I FEEL GOOF~ THE WAY MY OLD MAN LOOK£ WHEN He's

DRUNK!

5

''ALL OF L$ USED POT FOR. AWHILE., Tl LL ONE: OF THE GUY~ GOT CAUGHT

f:!>Y THE COPS ••• ''

THAI~ ENOUGH FOR ME,,, I'M NOT TAKING ANY MOR~ CHANCES WITH 11-IAT c;TUFF! YOU'D 13ETTt=R QUIT TOO, ED.

''WlilL, ::t KEPT U>fNG POT FOR A COUPLE OFYEAR61 TILL. FINALLY. .. "

YEAH, AN' I MADE UP MY MIND-I'MQUITTIN' SCHOOL. A SHARP

GUY CAN ALWAYS GET A GOOD .JOB

OR FIND AN ANGLE!

ANYWA~ I'M ~O FAR BEHINDJ I'LL NEVER

CATCH UP.

''THEN ONE. DAY MY MOTHSR FOUND OUT I WAS SMOKING POT.. •• '1

8

YOU COULD GET KICKED OUT OF SCHOOL! THEN YOU'LL NEVER GET A DECENT JOBt

YEAH'? WELL, I Al-READY QUIT SCHOOL, AND I GOTAJOBON

ATRUCI<!

EDDIE, T!M TELLING YOU,..POTCAN LEAD you ON TO FAR MORE DANGEROUS THINGS!

WE ALL HAVE 1D FACE PROBLEMS ... ME TOO, BUT I'M WORKING.1 AND

GOING TO SCHOOL. AND .. ,

''A WHILE. LATER SOME. GUY GI-I OWED U5 HOW TO usi= 'H',,. HEROIN. WE ALL STARTl:D SNIFFING AN' SKIN POPPING. fT SS::MED LIKEA ~EALG~1"KICK FOR AWHILS ••• J''

9

\\MY BROiHER HAD A GIRLf::RIEND, AND Aeou; THAT TIME I MET HER YOUNGER 91STER1Jl=ANIE. MAN1 SHS. WAGTHE­CUTEST LITTLE DOLL I EVER SAW!'1

JO

''I. REALIY WE:NT l=OR.J ~NIE:, AND SHE WENT FOR ME/"

SHOULD you SPEND SO MUCH MON~Y,

SDD/E'?

DON'T WOAA't; BABY--I!M

DOING ALL RlpHT!

''~UTIWASWRONG. ICOUL.PN'T ''6UTIHADTOHAV~ Gf;:.T ENOUGH HEROIN ON MY THE STUFF; 90 WH,AT SALAR~ 90 I 9TARTED COULD I DO~ I. BO~ROWING FROM MY STARTED LIFTING

MOTHER AND BROTHER. ~UT THINGS FROM THE WHEN f!S09 CAUGHT ON,./1 A~RTMENT AND

NO, EDDll=! I'LL GIVE.YOU MONEYTOCUREYOUR~EL~ BUT I'M SURE NOT GOING TO HELP YOU RUIN YOUR

LIFE!

HOCKING THEM!"

"THEN ON~ DAY~~ CAUGHT ME SNEAKING OUT WITH HIS

GOOD 9UIT, AND ...

EDDIE1 LISTENIOME~ YOU'RE SJCf<,.,BUTfFYOU HAVE. ANY GUTS, YOU COULD BE CURED,,.,._...._.

11

I'LL TAKE YOU TO A DOCTOR, OR TO THE HOSPITAL. WE:01LL 9UPPORT YOU TILL YOU'VE ONLY WAY I KICKED THE HABll; AND,,. CAN GET YOU

OFF MY 13,A.CK !

12

''THEN .J't;ANlf; FOUND OUT I WAS ON 'H~ FIRST SHE. TRIED 13f:GGING

AND C.RYI NG, ,, If

PLEASE, EDDlt=! WHATS GOING TO HAPPEN TO US?!

-

THATS FINE BYME! I'M SfCl<OFYOU TELLING ME WHATTODO!

''IT WAS AFTJ;R ONE OF OUR. FIGHTS THAT I FIRST TRIED 'MAINLINING~ THE GLIY:t'D

MOVf:.D IN WITH DARED MST01 AND13SIDS ...

''A t=EW WEEKS I.ATER I. WOkE UP ONE MORNING WITH THE SHAKES AND DYING

FOR A SH01i AND •• ,"

''HEWN:;; RIGHI. I COULON'T l.IVf: WITHOUT MY JUNK. :I 13EGAN ~rAKING MONf;Y F:ROMJeANle, •• "

BUT, EDDIE ! THATS ALL THE MONEY :t HAVE TILL

PAYDAY!

'1POdR 3EANIE. I SOLD HE:R P.ADlq A GOLD RING J-IER MOTHE::R HAD GIVEN HER

•.. SOMSTIMSS :tJOPK HSR LAST C5NT.., 13UT fT STtLL

WASN'T t?NOUGH!"

''90 I ~TARTED BREAKING INIO CARS AND STEAUNGTHINGS. WELL, I. WASN'T VERY GOOD AT Iii SO PR E:.TTY SOON I GOT

CAUGHT.,.11

'' 6UT IT WAS MY J=IRST ARRESJ; SO I GOT OFF WITH A LIGHT STRETCH THAT TIME .. /'

... BUT IF YOU DON1T CUReYOURSELF OF THE DRUG HABIT; YOU'RE IN FOR REAL TROUBLE NE.XT TJME.

''THE DOCTOR IN THE PRfSON HOSPl"JAL WAS A GOOD JOE. HE TOLD ME.A LOTI DIDN'T KNOW. . .'1

••• ALSO, BECAUSE YOU GET CAR~LES9 ABOUT YOURSELF; DRUGS CAN LEAD TO

fV\ALNUTRITION/ SICKNESS AND

DEATH.

REMEMBER •• . ONCE You' vi= KICKED Tl-/£3 HABll; YOU WON'T BE PHYSICALLY ADDICTED

ANYMORt=. THE DANGER IS IN GOING 13ACK100LD HABITG AND OLD FRJENDS. AOOVE ALL, AVOID YOUR FORMER .

. FRI ENDS WHO ARE STILL ADDICTS!

'\WHAT THE DOC SAID fv\A.DESENSE. :r. WAS CURSD, f\ND J: Dl:CfDl:D 10

STAY THAT WAY. •• " I

THERES AJOB WAITING FOR you, EDDIE-AND 90 1$ .n:AN/ E 1

17

\'WELL, BOB HAD GOTTEN MEA PR~TTY GOOD JOB IN 11-IE SUPER­MARl<E:li AND I WAS SURE I WAS CUR6D1 SQ.JEAflJl~AND I GOT MAR~l~D. W~COULDN'T /\F/ZORD f\ HON£ YMOON, BUT we MADS

OUT GP.EAT:.,

''w~ HAD A BALL rlXING UP OUR LITTLE APARTMENl; AND

!=.VERY Tl Mer BAW HOW HAPPY JEANIE. WAS,I FE'!..T Lll<t.A

KING!''

''aUT SIX MON1HS LATER I WA9 FSJ::f..fNG REAL L.OW oNa DAY. JEANIE: WANiTED TO HAVE. A '3ASY, BUT I COUL.DN'T FIND A eETTER .:roei.,,WlTH MY EOUCAllON. AND Tl 'AT WA9 /Ht: DAY 1: HAD TO RUN IN1'0AN CL.D FRll:: ND WH01t>TIJRNIW PUGHER •• !'

''WELL, I FIGURED I COULD PJCk MYSELF UP WITH A SHOT. WHAT HARM COULD IT 00? JUST

ONE LITTLE SHOT. .• 11

20

11BUT; 13ELIEVEME, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS ONE.5HOTOF THAT '.:>TUFF! PRETTY SOON I WAS STEALING MONEY FROM

J5ANfE AGAIN!'

''AND NEXT THING YOU kNOW I WAS HOCKING THE Fl.JRNl11.JRE. IT ALMOST

BROKE PC>OR JEANIE'9 HEART,,,''

J!M SOR~ BABY-­I CAN'T HELP IT!

''BUT SHE STUCK WITH ME, EVEN WHEN WE HAD TO MOVE TO A

CRU/\AMY FURNISHED ROOM. 'THEN ONE DAY •• /'

PLEASE, BABY.,,GIMME THE MONEY! LOOl<1 WHY DON'T YOU HAVE A . .

r-..,__.,.,..,-r SHOT, TOO, 50 YOU'Li- . UNDERSTAND,,.?

~---:r- ALL RIGH"l;

t=DDJE,,,

I . GUESS ITS THE O~LY WAY I. EVER. Wilt. UNDERSTAND! ~-~

''YEAH/THATS RIGHT..:! HAD10 HAVSMY SHOi; SVEN IF IT TOOK MAKING AN ADDICT OF MY OWN WIFE:!

''THE STUF=F GOT TO JEANIE FAST. IN A COUPLJ: OF WEEKS ~E WAS REALLY HOOt<ED.,.50 BAD THAT SHE COULDN'T l<EEPAJO~ ... "

"THEN BOB FOUND OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. THE:. POOR GUY TRIED TO HELP ONE MORE llME1 BUT, , ,

'\IT TOOK MF=.ALL. DAY TO ~TEA.LAND SEU. SNOLJGH

STIJFF TO BUY THE: AMOUNTOF.:rUNK Wf;.

NEEDeD. :I J.f FTSD THINGS Ff?.OM~~ AND SUP!:RMARl<E?ff~~J'

''AND I BROl<E IN'TD PLACES, SCARED ID

DEATH ALL THE. TIMS •.• "

''AND THEN I HAD ID WAIT AND WAIT FORTHEPUSHER. I WAS PUTTING IN LI KE TWENIY HOURS A DAY TO RAISE THE $50 WE NEEDED JUST

FORJUNK •• .'1

''BUT NOBODY CAN GO ON LIKEllfATFOREVER. ONE DAY I JlJST COULDN'T GET OUT OF BE(4 AND I. W/¥3 SICl<AS A DOG FORA WEEK. BUT SJ CK OR NOT, A JUNl<IES GOTTA HAVE

H 15 JUNK,,/'

''so ITWAS UPTO.J'eANfE1t>GET IT. HOW? YOU GUESSSD rr:"

''YOU WOULDN'T THINk iHING9 COULD GET WORSE THAN THA1i 13UT THEY DID. ALL OFA 51..JDDEN n-IE JUNK GOT SCARCE, AND WE= HADlO FILLIN WITH GOOF BALLS

AND PEP PILLS,,.11

\'I. WAS SO FAR GONE THAT I HAD 10. TAl<e DOZENS OF- Plt..IS 1P GS.TANY EFFECT AND ONE. DAY I.TOOi< 1PO MANY AND PASSED OUT IN THS

ST~ET,.,

''THE: DOC AT THE HOSPffi.\L 101.t> MS HOW 13ADIHEPIUSCAN ee ....

THEY CAN DO YOU SVEN MORE HARM THAN Hl::ROIN. THEY CAN CAU9E SEVERE VOMITING, WEIGHT LOSS, DELIRfUM1 AND C.ONVULSION5 SO E3AD1HE=Y CAN t<ILL YOU.

27

''SUT I WAS PiOST CARING ABOUT ANVTH ING BY THEN. I. WfiiBN'T OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AN

. HOUR BEFORE. :I. WAS 6ACI< HERE. LOOl<JN' FO~ THE. PUSHE:R • .,"

..J"EANIS? :IGUE56SHEWA9 LUCKIER THAN ME., IN A WAY.

AT LEAST SHE.'S OUT or;: JTNOW •••

''ONE. NIGHT I. CAME HOME AND FOUND HSR ON THE. FLOOR. I CALLED AN AME3ULANCS, 9LJT IT WAS 100 LATE.. SHE WA9 DEAD, OF AN OVERDOSEOFHE:ROIN! MAY~E.I.'U-GO

THAT WAY, TOO ... ''

''AT THE FUNE:RAL1JeANIE~ SISTER CALL.SD ME.A MUP.PERl:R, AND MY

~OTJ-IER 101..D ME. TO STAY AWAY FR.OM IHI: WHOLE: FAMILY..!'

)

!:'UT I. NEVER GOT CURED. OH,.. SURE, A FEW GUYG MAKE IT, 01..JT MOST OF THEM DON'T •.• LIKE ME. I WENT RIGHT BACK TO IT EVERY TIME, EVEN THEilMEI KICKE:DTHE HARD WAY~'roLDTURKEY'~

"~SEEA3UNKU! l<fct<IN' IT COLD TURKEY? MAN, llS MURDER! YOU TLJP.N fiOT AND CO~D, ALL ')()(JR MUSCU:S ACHE, YOU GET THE NDST GOQl.\WFUL STOMACH CRAMPS, YOU

THFlOW UPn .4'

''AND)'OLJ SCREAM ANP SCRE?AM AND SCREAM-­FO~ A SHOT)OU WOITT GET. rrs 'TORTUFt&,

f'ELIE.Vf: MS~ ----.....i

AND EVEN AFTER THAT, MOST JUNKIES GO RIGHT EM.CK ON THE HABIT. WE:LL1 THAT'S HOW ITLL BE-I MAY DROP Di=AD RIGHT HERE, OR IN A.JAIL CELL OP. SOME CHEAP ROOM. 13UT TILL I.

D01 'I'U- BE RIGHT HERE,,. WAIT/ N" FOR ''THE MAN'~

YOU KNOW, ~ME PEOPLE CALL U9 JUNKIES ''THE LIVING DEAD'~ • • AN' I GUESS THEY'RE RIGHT. ANYWA~

THATS WHAT ITS Lll<E -~ TO 13~ HOOKEP!

11 11 1 1111~mm~~1~ 1~~rrn11ij1

1iij]~~1111 1 1 1 11 00036133 4

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE Bethesda, Maryland

Public Hcallh Service PulJlication Ko. 1610

For further information, contact your State, county or local public health department

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENT.AL HEAL TH PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE

.. u !t. C.OVt.ftNl\lLNr PfllNTINO Of-r IC.a: 1!.t&7 0-249·&20

----~----··· --- -·~· ---·---- ··---------------'