Well, let me start of with the fact that the book by the same title helped me a lot. I was not a drug user, nor have I became one ever, simply because of the book. My mom put that book in my hands when I was 12, and just told me: "Read it". She never questioned me anything in the 2 days I was reading, nor she mentioned it.
When I let her know I was done, and wanted to talk about it, she said: "Now you have to see a movie". So there I was, 12 year old who just read something that messed with her head, watching the movie with the exact story. Mom said it was important to actually see it, not only visualize it. After the movie she said: "No matter how many times and how many people tell you drugs are bad - it will not be enough. So I wanted you to see a story of a real person, who went through real problems with drugs. Does this show you that drugs are actually bad?"
Everything I ever wanted to talk to her about, just vanished. Because that movie just sealed the deal. I bought what actors were selling. Only thing on my mind was - if the book showed me with details what can happen, and the movie pictured it for me - how was it to actually battle all those things (addiction, constant thinking about next fix, crises when the drug is leaving your system...) in real life? And luckily, both the book and the movie convinced me never to put it to the test. Not even with pot, cigarettes or alcohol. I've been offered drugs many times by the time I was 20. I never once accepted, no matter how those people described it to me. Because I knew what the reality was and where it was leading to.
So, thanks to my mom, for introducing me this story. Thanks to the actors and directors and writers. Because of all of you, now I'm a 32 year old woman, who can honestly say she never tried any kind of drugs, nor was ever interested to "test the story". Words in a book and acting in movie were proof enough.
And special thanks to Christiane F. Many went through the same thing you did, but were too ashamed and embarrassed to come forward with it. You went through it and you shared your story. And I'm pretty sure you changed a lot of lives over the years. And you will keep doing that. Because, this book and movie are eternal, and will never go "out of style".
When I let her know I was done, and wanted to talk about it, she said: "Now you have to see a movie". So there I was, 12 year old who just read something that messed with her head, watching the movie with the exact story. Mom said it was important to actually see it, not only visualize it. After the movie she said: "No matter how many times and how many people tell you drugs are bad - it will not be enough. So I wanted you to see a story of a real person, who went through real problems with drugs. Does this show you that drugs are actually bad?"
Everything I ever wanted to talk to her about, just vanished. Because that movie just sealed the deal. I bought what actors were selling. Only thing on my mind was - if the book showed me with details what can happen, and the movie pictured it for me - how was it to actually battle all those things (addiction, constant thinking about next fix, crises when the drug is leaving your system...) in real life? And luckily, both the book and the movie convinced me never to put it to the test. Not even with pot, cigarettes or alcohol. I've been offered drugs many times by the time I was 20. I never once accepted, no matter how those people described it to me. Because I knew what the reality was and where it was leading to.
So, thanks to my mom, for introducing me this story. Thanks to the actors and directors and writers. Because of all of you, now I'm a 32 year old woman, who can honestly say she never tried any kind of drugs, nor was ever interested to "test the story". Words in a book and acting in movie were proof enough.
And special thanks to Christiane F. Many went through the same thing you did, but were too ashamed and embarrassed to come forward with it. You went through it and you shared your story. And I'm pretty sure you changed a lot of lives over the years. And you will keep doing that. Because, this book and movie are eternal, and will never go "out of style".