Crack: And Why It's Not Funny | Teen Ink

Crack: And Why It's Not Funny

September 28, 2009
By Anonymous

Crack: And why it's not funny.

"He's on crack or something!"

"Are you on crack?!"

"This stuff is as addictive as crack!"


You've heard things like this being said, but have you ever really listened? Have you ever thought that maybe, it's offensive to joke about such a serious drug? Maybe there's someone out there--perhaps sitting right next to you--who shivers every time they hear the word "crack". It's not a pretty word, and it's even uglier when it affects you on a personal level.

What if your father was addicted to crack? What if he had been for nearly five years and you only found out a year ago? What if he didn't admit it, but his girlfriend had to tell you? What if he had two heart attacks, open heart surgery and a stroke? What if he escaped to a foreign country where he didn't speak the language and planned to stay there? And what if, after all of that betrayal, he decided he wanted to act like your father again? What if he just showed up, went to Narcotics Anonymous, said he was clean and expected you to hug him wholeheartedly?

And I know it sounds absurd and entirely impossible. But it's true, things like this happen every day, and just because they're hidden doesn't mean they're not there. For the past couple years, I've been experiencing each and every one of those things first hand. I am the daughter of a crack addict. I am scared and damaged, my battle scars a plentiful and ugly. And hearing about them in a joke hurts more than the wounds themselves.

People say it as an afterthought. It's no big deal, "Are you on crack?!" is a perfectly acceptable question when someone is acting out-of-the-ordinary. It's a question I've been asked myself. The person who asked me thought nothing of it. But when your parent is an addict, you already have fears and insecurities. No matter how different you are from your mom or dad, no matter how good of a person you are--you're always afraid that you'll be exactly the same as them. So asking someone who's mom is an alcoholic if they're drunk, makes the worry even more that they'll turn out like their mother.

Crack is no joke--there's absolutely nothing funny about it. Every time I hear the word I shudder. It's hard to face, it's hard to deal with. And it's not something I like to think about. So do me, and thousands of other teenagers all over the world a favor and don't joke about substance abuse. We're not laughing.



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This article has 35 comments.


Noe620 said...
on Jan. 14 2015 at 1:20 am
Noe620, South Pasadena, California
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"and it is never too late to speak that love, to invite...to do the work of self-recovery so that they may dance with us in the circle of love" -Bell Hooks

Congrats on being the winner of the day first of all, second I would like to say thank you for your amazing story, you are so courageous for being able to share this and its really touching. I too, like many others down below VVV can relate to this post. In my opinion, im not sure if you enjoy writing that often? but continue to do this and share your story and stories. Share your words of encouragement and incite. Its truly helpful for not only me, an average teen who relates, but many others. It allows us to see that we're not all that different, we share similar stories. And that right there is beautiful. Once again, Thank You! & Congrats!

on Apr. 5 2014 at 12:53 pm
Strawberry_Rabbit, Savoy, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 5 comments

Favorite Quote:
Mistakes are painful when they happen, but years later, a collection of mistakes is called experience.

This is brilliant!

on Dec. 11 2013 at 9:33 pm
Casandraa97 BRONZE, LeRaysville, Pennsylvania
2 articles 0 photos 3 comments
This means a lot. I'm a daughter of bathsalt addicts and its no laughing matter.. I now have post traumatic stress disorder and dealing with so many other things.. I completely agree. People need to be more sensitive of other peoples feelings!

MarisaBarker said...
on Nov. 18 2013 at 1:15 pm
Different people in the world get the loans from different creditors, just because this is simple.

on Oct. 5 2013 at 9:48 pm
That's perfect that people can receive the home loans moreover, it opens up new chances.

Dezzylee GOLD said...
on Jun. 30 2012 at 12:48 am
Dezzylee GOLD, Cambridge MA, Massachusetts
10 articles 0 photos 3 comments
this is awsome and hit home with me i know exactly what u mean and how u feel when people say it...my mom is a hwrowine addicted an my dads a drunk an i love how you wrote this i coodnt of sadi it better my self <3

eucebio said...
on Sep. 16 2011 at 2:34 pm
good job writing this

on Jun. 13 2011 at 1:44 pm
This article is amazing! I know what your talking about. My mother was an addicct so was my dad. Even though i havent seen my dad since i was 2. He writes letters from jail and it makes me cry sometimes. I have been to NA meeting with my mom just listening to some of the people storys makes me feel sorry for them. I have only told one friend about this and its my secret.

on Feb. 7 2011 at 11:50 am
Nura.is.Beast BRONZE, Boulder, Colorado
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
Don't Cry Because Its Over
Smile Because It Happened

Girls fall in love with what they hear
Boys fall in love with what they see
That's why girls wear make up
and boys lie

thats so true

 


on Dec. 26 2010 at 3:00 pm
black-sapphire BRONZE, Bismarck, North Dakota
1 article 0 photos 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I'm in a fleshy tomb, buried up above the ground.
It's no use, why should I hold on?"
-Goodbye (I'm Sorry) by Jamestown Story

goodjob writing this...what if instead of waking up every morning thinking about school, or boys or etc you woke up thinking about meth? yeah whats on my mind 24/7 you may ask--drugs, alcohol, and sports...so i know what your going through, i have family in this sh*t too...if you ever wanna talk, im here.

on Oct. 23 2010 at 7:50 pm
mckittykat55 SILVER, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
5 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The crippled cow never gave up

those bands support awareness, they mock nothing

on Oct. 19 2010 at 4:15 pm
Sacrifice018 SILVER, Griffin, Georgia
9 articles 0 photos 23 comments
Its true. even I do it and I'm just playing. but, thanks for telling me now I know.

bea =] said...
on Oct. 15 2010 at 2:17 pm

Yea it may be hurtful to many but really what can you do about it...you can inform people about it ..they're not gonna care

people now a days are ignorant its not only with drugs but with illnesses for example breast cancer...those keep a breast wrist bands have been a trend.. but in reality its mocking breast cancer..its not anything to laugh about its a deadly disease and many women are affected by it every year.


Dimples said...
on Oct. 15 2010 at 2:03 pm
I think crack is for low lifes! if you have nothing better to dowith your lives then read book or something. Crack is bad. Once you get on crack, you cant stop. Go to rehab and get clean.

star8089 said...
on Jul. 9 2010 at 3:20 pm
yeah i know the feeling well, my father is a depressed, bipolar, alcholic pot addict. i found out four days ago, on july fifth, that my father has been addicted to pot since before my mother met him, and hes been smoking it all along behind our backs, and i only found out bekuz my brotehr has caught him several times and eventually my mom made my dad tell my brother what was going on, and no one intended on telling me until i forced my brother into explaining. where i live pot and crack and alcohol are the most common made-fun of drugs, like everyday people make comments. i feel the same way and i know where you are coming from, in fact, my parents are seriously considering divorce. he gets drunk (i knew about teh drinking) when my motehr is out all night at work, and making jokes about it doesnt fix the trauma. he also abuses his medications. my friends dont understand why im always stressed, and im not aloud to tell anyone. my father can be verbally abusive towards womne, including me, and its worse when hes stoned or drunk, and so i come to school upset and no one undertsands. in health i ask plenty of questsions about drug abuse and my friends find it strange taht im so interested, and say "oh, that will never happen to you, just relax", but tehy dont know. poepel should watch what they say. i agree completely.

on Feb. 11 2010 at 8:43 pm
chick-a-dee-wasaga-3 BRONZE, California, Florida
4 articles 0 photos 10 comments
First of all, i would like to congratulate you on your article. It is really constructive, but I disagree with your article. I think that if people know you of course, they are not going to say it around you for what you have been through. But it is someone's choice if they want to say that quote. But they should think before they say it.

on Jan. 8 2010 at 11:23 pm
frenchfrie35 BRONZE, Westfield, Massachusetts
4 articles 0 photos 10 comments
It's hard to hear about it in any case, when people are serious though, it provides you with the opportunity to talk about it. When they're joking it's something different entirely. I'm sorry about your situation as well, just know that you're not alone.

on Jan. 8 2010 at 11:21 pm
frenchfrie35 BRONZE, Westfield, Massachusetts
4 articles 0 photos 10 comments
I understand where you're coming from. But no matter what I do about this issue, I can't change it, I can't fix it. It still hurts me because it reminds me of what I experienced, how terrible it was and how there's still nothing I can do about it.

on Jan. 8 2010 at 9:03 pm
acousticalex BRONZE, Garland, Texas
4 articles 0 photos 41 comments

Favorite Quote:
"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist. That is all." Oscar Wilde

Semantics. If someone chooses to smoke crack they have to accept the consequences of being socially looked down upon and seeing the pain of their relatives. Worst case scenario, offended people can get a poem out of their frustration or go on a run. It's not phrases like "Are you on crack?" that hurt people, it's the situation itself. So maybe instead of getting offended by little, nonspecific comments the relatives/addicts/randomly offended people should confront the issue in his or her life head on.

nicole. BRONZE said...
on Dec. 2 2009 at 6:19 pm
nicole. BRONZE, Buffalo, New York
2 articles 0 photos 2 comments
I liked this article a lot. It's funny i never even relized how much it really effected me i guess. My dad is addict and a alcoholic. His "drug of choice" was always cocaine but when he was really bad he we would find stuff around the house and smells that my mom told me were from crack. A month before i turned 14, he was doing cocaine and long story short killed someone. Whenever people bring up these topics especially as jokes i just like get nervous, and when people talk and make generalizations i literally have to clench my teeth to smile. I'm sorry about you're dad.