Heroin addiction has been on the rise across America in recent years, with heroin overdose deaths reaching all-time highs. Mandrell White, age 34, and Caleb Higgins, age 26, are two Chicago heroin addicts who share in their struggle to battle addiction, and in their desire to warn others of the power of heroin to destroy lives.
CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – Caleb Higgins, age 26 (left), and Mandrell White, age 34 (right), prepare for their morning routine of panhandling along Chicago’s Michigan Ave., in order to raise enough money to feed their heroin habits.CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – Heroin addicts, Caleb Higgins, age 26 (left), and Mandrell White, age 34 (right), dig through a public cigarette receptacle searching for any butts that might be worth smoking. In Chicago, a bag of heroin is cheaper than a pack of cigarettes.CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – Along the bank of the Chicago river, in a place know as “Tent City,” heroin addicts, Caleb Higgins, age 26 (foreground), and Mandrell White, age 34 (background), unpack the gear they’ll need to prepare their heroin for injection.CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – In a place know as “Tent City,” located along the bank of the Chicago River not far from Chicago’s financial district, heroin addicts, Caleb Higgins, age 26 (right), and Mandrell White, age 34 (left), prepare the gear they’ll need to cook the heroin before injection.CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – “I never imagined anything like this would ever happen to me,” says longtime heroin addict, Mandrell White, age 34, as she fills her syringe with fresh water before cooking heroin down from its powdered form, into an injectable liquid.
Video: CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – Heroin addict, Caleb Higgins, age 26, injects heroin into his arm while in a tent city along the Chicago River.
CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – “If I could go back in time, the one thing that I would change, would be not having ever tried heroin in the first place,” says heroin addict, Caleb Higgins, age 26, as he pulls fresh water into his syringe before cooking some fresh heroin for his next injection.CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – “Look how small these bags are,” exclaims longtime heroin addict, Mandrell White, age 34 (left) to her boyfriend Caleb Higgins, age 26 (right) as they prepare to inject heroin along the Chicago River.CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – “In just two years, I went from having a home and car, to sleeping on the streets, having infections all over my body – I have to get two of my fingers amputated from me sticking needles in them, and all my teeth are rotten,” explains Mandrell White, age 34, as she adds water to the powdered heroin in her cooker.CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – “I know it’s hard telling young people not to try heroin because they think they’re invincible, and that they’ll never get addicted,” says longtime heroin addict, Mandrell White, age 34, as she searches for a vein in witch to inject heroin, “but I’m here to tell you – don’t mess with heroin.”
AUDIO: Mandrell took some time to speak with me about how she ended up in such a terrible situation:
“So for me, heroin was the closest thing to death, without dying.” -Mandrell White
CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – Heroin addict, Mandrell White, age 34, pushes freshly prepared heroin from her syringe, and into her vain. “I don’t even get high anymore. These two bags will just keep me from getting sick,” says Mandrell as she pushes the last drops of heroin into her body.CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – After injecting a total of two $10.00 bags of heroin each, addicts, Mandrell White, age 34 (top), and, Caleb Higgins, age 26 (bottom), climb the bank of the Chicago River on their way back to panhandle in Chicago’s Loop area, in order to acquire the funds to score more heroin.CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – Caleb Higgins, age 26, panhandles on Chicago’s Michigan Ave. in an attempt to gather the funds to buy enough heroin to stave off being dope sick for a few more hours.CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – Mandrell White, age 34, panhandles with her cardboard sign on Chicago’s Michigan Ave. in an attempt to raise money to buy enough heroin to hold off withdraws for a few more hours.CHICAGO, IL. Sep 6, 2015 – A young girl gives heroin addict, Mandrell White, age 34, a donation while on Chicago’s Michigan Ave.
That’s not what I said. First, I don’t believe in Karma. Next, I never said it was either good or bad – depends on the situation and the intent. Try watching the video again, only turn the volume on this time. 😉 Thanks for continually mischaracterizing my positions. You are consistent, I’ll give you that!
That’s not what I said. First, I don’t believe in Karma. Next, I never
said it was either good or bad – depends on the situation and the
intent. Try watching the video again, only turn the volume on this time.
Thanks for continually mischaracterizing my positions. You are consistent, I’ll give you that!
It’s a sin to exploit these lost souls.. as I remember you saying it wasn’t good karma to photograph the homeless. SEE https://youtu.be/IssYPRIbNzs
You are a hypocrite and I wouldn’t be surprised if you shot herr-ronn yourself.
That’s not what I said. First, I don’t believe in Karma. Next, I never said it was either good or bad – depends on the situation and the intent. Try watching the video again, only turn the volume on this time. 😉 Thanks for continually mischaracterizing my positions. You are consistent, I’ll give you that!
That’s not what I said. First, I don’t believe in Karma. Next, I never
said it was either good or bad – depends on the situation and the
intent. Try watching the video again, only turn the volume on this time.
Thanks for continually mischaracterizing my positions. You are consistent, I’ll give you that!