Ravaged by drugs

Ravaged by drugs: Shocking before and after pictures reveal devastating physical toll of meth addiction

• The American addicts are aged 22 to 54 in various stages of addiction
• They are users of cocaine, heroin, oxycodone and crystal meth
• Campaign was launched by Rehabs.com to warn of dangers of drugs

By Kate Lyons

PUBLISHED: 04:45 EST, 26 March 2014 | UPDATED: 11:05 EST, 26 March 2014

The horrific effect that drugs can have on addicts have been highlighted in a series of disturbing pictures and video.
The photographs show American users of cocaine, heroin, oxy-codone and crystal meth in various stages of addiction.
The before shots all show healthy-looking individuals prior to their becoming involved in substance abuse.
The after shots show the same faces with terrible, blotchy skin, gaunt and hardened features, wrinkled skin and wild eyes.

Chelsea was arrested four times in less than two years. In her final arrest she was charged with possession of cocaine, heroin and oxycodone.

The campaign was launched by Rehabs.com, the organisation that ran the very successful Faces Of Meth campaign in 2012, which showed the devastating impact of meth addiction.
This latest campaign, More Than Meth: The Faces Of Drug Arrests, aims to show that drugs other than crystal meth can also have a damaging impact on health and appearance.
The photographs are mug shots of the drug users, who are known only by their first names, at the times of various arrests, which in some cases span more than ten years.

 

The mug shots show the physical effects that drug abuse can have on someone’s body, including dramatic weight gain or weight loss, tooth decay, facial sores, abcesses, bloodshot eyes, and the appearance of accelerated ageing. 

Watch the shocking transformations of drug abuse victims

Amy was 25 when she was first arrested arrested. Rehabs.com asked 200 people to guess how many years between her first and last mugshot, they said 21 years, in reality it was 10

Linda was first arrested at the age of 22. She was arrested five times after that for various offences, including drug-related crimes

Cynthia (left) and Michael (right) were each charged with a string of offences over the course of a decade

A 2012 study found that 4.5 million Americans were dependent on illicit drugs, and millions more had used illegal drugs in the month before the study.
Rehabs.com aimed to raise awareness about what can stem from the more casual use of drugs.
‘Use of these dangerous drugs can easily lead to addiction,’ they wrote.

There is a dramatic change in Mary, in just four years. She was arrested multiple times during this period. Her charges included possession of heroin and cocaine

When he was 34, Edward was arrested for possession of a pain narcotic. Just over five years later, he was arrested for possession of a controlled substance

Carrie lost 20lbs between her arrests in 2012 and 2014. Drastic weight loss is one of the many side effects of taking some drugs

Melynda has caught in a string of arrests. In 2013 she was charged with possession of a controlled substance

Crystal was arrested four times in 2011 alone and was charged with possession of cocaine every time. Her most recent arrests included charges for possession of cannabis, prostitution and theft.