Interview Paper
Many social stigmas are associated with drug use within our society. At one point in my life I shared the negative connotations associated to drug abuse with the vast majority of the population of this country and the society in which I live. As I matured and began forming my own opinions based on several personal experiences, I began to disagree with the believed norm that drugs are bad for our society. They are a means of escape for some just the same as alcohol and tobacco is for millions of others in this country. Those legal substances are just as bad for your body and habit forming as other illegal substances. Why do so many people frown on those of us who need our help? Drug addiction is a disease yet it’s
I had never lived in a ghetto, although I grew up in New York, we lived in a part of the Bronx during that time. I had never known poverty, poverty was overwhelming for me.
Q. How long were you addicted?
A. Baby I was never addicted.
Q. Sorry, how long were using the drug?
A. Four years, my addiction was feeling bad for myself
Q. Did you conceal your drug use?
A. I thought I did a pretty good job of concealment, although pretty much everyone knew about it, before it was all over.
Q. What impact did your drug use have on your family?
A. My oldest son is in prison for drug trafficking, one of the girls is in prison because she can’t quit the oxy’s and the other one goes back and forth with drug use, alcohol and depression. What do you think the impact was?
Q. So you believe their behavior is directly attributed to your drug use?
A. I was using crack during the toughest part of a child’s life their teenage years, had I not set the bad example, had I paid more attention to them instead of my own emotional instability, maybe my kids would have turned out differently.
On the request of Mrs. Smith I was asked to change topic away from her children.
Q. After quitting did you ever relapse?
A. Yes one time.
Q. Under what circumstances?
A. I was diagnosed with breast cancer; I picked out my casket, grave and paid them off. Soon after the reality set in that I probably was going to die I took fate into my own hands. I tried to overdose on crack unsuccessfully.