Shaggy preparing for his next “jab”

This is Shaggy preparing for his next “jab” in an abandoned West Side Chicago home.

Shaggy has been injecting Heroin for the past five years, and he’s only 23. On the day we took these photos, Shaggy had received news that his younger sister is now also hooked on junk.

I’ll have much more on Shaggy in the near future.

Don’t do junk! The number one message that Heroin addicts wish for me to pass along is: “Don’t Do Junk!” Don’t think that you can just snort heroin one time, it’s NOT worth the risk. That one time, soon turns into fifty – fifty turns into injection rather than snorting. Six months later, you look back and wonder what the fuck happened…

I have been working on a Heroin addiction photography project here in Chicago for the past six months. During this time, I have come to know several addicts on a deep and personal level. We’ve built a relationship, and are working together to tell their story. These photos on my blog are but a small glimpse into the dark and dirty world of Heroin addiction.