Name Your Poison

Glass, Crystal, Tweak, Ice, Tina, Chrissy, Speed. No matter what you call it, Methamphetamine still consumes the American population every day. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimated the worldwide production of amphetamine-type stimulants, which includes methamphetamine, at nearly 500 metric tons a year, with 24.7 million abusers.

A television show that is sweeping the ratings is Breaking Bad. This show captures the life of Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher that was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer. To ensure his family’s financial future, he involves himself in making and selling meth. This is a fine example of the situation many people are facing on this very day. The drug industry is booming, unfortunately. As a result, those struggling with low income turn to the market of addiction. It’s sad enough to see people feel like they are forced to earn money by way of drugs. However, it’s even more heart-wrenching to see the harsh effects of the very thing that is bringing them income.

The short-term effects are harmful enough. These include rotting teeth, disturbed sleep patterns, hyperactivity, nausea, delusions of power, increased aggressiveness, irritability, and some cases can include convulsions that often lead to death. If a user can make it through those, then there are long-term effects waiting for them such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, damaged blood vessels in the brain that can cause strokes or an irregular heartbeat that can, in turn, cause cardiovascular collapse or death, and liver, kidney and lung damage. Is it even worth it?

Every few years, a ‘hereafter’ house comes to Bryant, AR called ‘The 99’. It places the audience into several different situations such as a car wreck, a suicide, or a crack house. The point is to warn the audience about the harmful temptations and situations that can arise within our lives if we aren’t careful. I had the privilege to be a part of The 99. The role I played was a tweaker in the crack house. I had only played the part of a drug addict and I was already feeling weird about it. In order to take on this role, I had to wear torn clothes, put terrifying makeup on, and act like a psychotic person. I was scared of myself. I could only imagine how the real drug abusers are feeling.

I often wonder about them. What would they do if they had the opportunity to turn back time? Would they reject the poison that has taken over their lives? Or would they cave into the pit of enduring pain and consequence?

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