I TOOK RECREATIONAL DRUGS ON A DAILY BASIS
Johnny is currently on our Rehabilitation Programme
I started using drugs at the age of 12; solvents at first, mainly glue and petrol. I was doing that because at that time I was hanging around with lads who were a couple of years older than me and because they were doing it so did I, so that I could fit in and be one of the lads. But I soon got bored of that and grew out of it.
I turned to smoking cannabis when I was 13. I was a very angry child and I used to blame everybody else around me for things I was doing; because I wasn’t going to school the social workers got involved and before long I was up before the school board. My parents didn’t know why I was doing these things. I thought it was ok and all part and parcel of what kids did back then in Scotland where I grew up.
I was off the wall and my drug use progressed from there. I took recreational drugs on a daily basis; downers, uppers, and this lasted for a couple of years until I was about 16 when I got into the dance scene. I went out clubbing at the weekend and just stuck to weed during the week. But that didn’t last too long as I soon got involved with drug dealers when my drug using got totally out of control and I ended up in prison; I’ve done that for the last 17 years of my life. I’ve done all the Geographics and research on my drug use and eventually ended up on smack and crack. In the process of that I have messed up my life and my family’s life.
I robbed them and stole from them to fund my addiction and totally going in to destruction mode. I let heroin and crack take over my life. I’ve been to prison numerous times since for violent robbery and drug dealing. I continued to use until eventually the Police and Probation Service got involved and got me into THOMAS which for me was and is the best thing that I’ve ever done.
Because now I know that I have the disease of addiction. I am an addict and it is me who is the problem not the drugs. I know that I have a solution to that by working the 12 Step Programme to the best of my ability and applying action I can have a better life and a better future; not just for me but also for my family and I am very grateful to have the opportunity to do this.