A hard-hitting anti-drug campaign showing the gaunt features of a heroin addict is being launched.
The campaign centres on the face of Roseanne Holland who was 29 when she first became hooked on heroin.
It uses a series of police mug shots taken in the US over eight years which show the affect the drug has on her appearance. The last image shows her almost unrecognisable with sunken cheeks and soulless dead eyes.
Ms Holland died from an overdose shortly after the last picture was taken.
The advert will be used in 16 London boroughs identified as having the worst drug problems.
Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur said: "These photographs starkly illustrate the physical effects drugs have on people over a relatively brief period of time".
Commander Stephen James, of the Yard's specialist crime directorate, said: "The images show the horrors of addiction to crack cocaine and heroin. There are many thousands of families who have had to deal with these in private and we are saying here is the truth - this is what drugs do to you."
He said the crack cocaine problem was worse in London then elsewhere in the UK because it was in the capital that it first arrived in the late 1980s. It was therefore a "more embedded" problem in London.
Although pictures are taken of people arrested in Britain, senior officers were forced to look to the US for drug case studies because of issues of confidentiality.
- ITV
Before and after: Pictures show how an addict's face deteriorated
I will scan the series of eight pictures that was publiched in my local paper and post that too. It really is quite extraordinary the changes these people's bodies go through.
I think with the new younger generations becoming more and more focused on outward appearances and looks, this campaign might actually make them reconsider using hard drugs.
schmiggens said this in post #1 : Drug addict's face used in campaign
Before and after: Pictures show how an addict's face deteriorated
- BBC
Ive seen all eight of the pictures of her.....its amazing to see the transformation!
They have this same photo in almost every police department out here (well, at least in this state...Id venture to guess that its in all the others too around the states).
I think this picture has been around for awhile.
Of course thats just my opinion....I could be wrong. (Dennis Miller)
"You might be the toughest little whacker. . .but in my world, you're about as worrisome as a cloudy day." (Dutch Dooley)
11-03-2004 04:41 AM
