Mug Shots of Meth Users

There's nothing like a good hard-hitting, shocking campaign to spread a message and create awareness. 

I've just spotted this, by Rehabs.com, which shows a series of mugshots documenting the rapid and gruesome decline of methamphetamine users in America. It needs no clever photoshop editing, re-touching or catchy slogan to make an impact as it shows the grim and disturbing physical-transformation caused by the drug. 

Meth is twice as addictive as heroin. It's a vile, life-destroying drug and these photographs are proof that it only leads to a miserable existence. Many of the images were only taken a couple of years apart but the effects are obvious, highlighting not only the facial deterioration, but the criminal lifestyles that the drug often forces its users into.

It's scary how quickly these people's lives, and looks, have unravelled. The scarred faces show the results of nasty hallucinations, where users pick and scratch uncontrollably at their faces after believing bugs have crawled under their skin.

I really think that shock tactics like these are often the only way to communicate the 'say no to drugs' message, which can easily be ignored, or loose impact as it is repeated so much to young people today.

Some of these users are the same age or younger than me, so it's pretty disturbing to see what meth has done to them. If the campaign even stops one person from ruining their life, then in my eyes it's a success. I wonder why they have turned to meth and whether seeing a video like this would have made them think twice. I'd like to think it would have.

Fitness Focus Magazine

Hi everyone!

Sorry I haven’t blogged in a little while, I’ve been ridiculously busy with university and my new job. I’m taking a quick coffee break from studying at the moment now, so I just thought I’d quickly update you all on what I’ve been up to.

In between graduating, endless hand-ins and my birthday, I’ve landed a new job as Senior Marketing Consultant at Fitness Focus magazine. I can finally say I’m doing a job that I enjoy and that I no longer have to suffer the tedium of telesales!

It’s definitely a job where I work with, and not for, everybody in the office and I’m able to put all my skills to good use. I do a bit of everything, but mostly I’m the person responsible for getting health and fitness instructors and clubs into the magazine. I’m itching to get involved with some of the design and editorial work too.

I’m also solely responsible for the publication’s social media, which I love. The magazine’s website is currently in production, but I’ve just set up a Twitter account to increase the awareness and reputation of Fitness Focus. I’m making the point of individually thanking each new follower and making sure I reply to every single tweet we get. It has been quite time-consuming but I do think that it’s really going to help in building relationships with stakeholders. I’m going to post plenty of photos too, document the making of the magazine and also set up a Facebook page very soon.

The magazine is officially launching in the New Year, and I’ve been given the task of creating the launch party, so this is an excellent opportunity to put what I’ve learnt about PR planning in practise. I’ve never put together an event before, so I’m quite nervous about it, but also really eager to show the office what I can do. If it goes well, which I will make sure it will, there will be lots more opportunities like this, which I’m hoping will boost my PR profile and credibility.

I’m excited to see what opportunities this job may bring, and want to contribute to the magazine’s success as much as I possibly can. Everything is going well at the moment, and even though I’m up to my eyes in coursework, I’m really enjoying life.

Oh, and make sure you follow Fitness Focus on Twitter!

Thanks x