February 23, 2012

Face2Face Makes Teens see What They Look Like on Meth

Crystal methamphetamine

Image via Wikipedia

 

Remember the computer program put out by a fashion magazine where a person could download a photo of themselves and the program would allow them to see what they’d look like with different colors and lengths of hair and different colors of make ups? 

Mendocino County, CA Sheriff Thomas Allman was at the mall with his wife, watching that particular programshow his wife all her different looks. He had a thought – they could use a program like that to show kids what they’ll look like if they do methamphetamines. 

A former narcotics officer, Allman had seen all too many young lives destroyed by the ravishing drug and was trying to look for a new way to warn kids of what that stuff can do to them. When they’re warned verbally, it doesn‘t stick; they hear drug warningsso much that it’s commonplace now. 

‘Hit’ Them in the Face, the Face2Face 

Allman talked to over twenty software companies before deciding on Vestremi, who helped him create the software program called “Face2Face.” It was perfect. 

The software’s debut was at the Mendocino County Fair where it drew serious interest. Teenagers and their parents tried out the software at the booth, everyone shocked at how ugly they became after a few years of using meth. It hit closer to home with them because it was their face in the warning. 

Many teens said things like, “I hope I never look like that,” and “You won’t catch me doing that stuff!” It was exactly what Allman had hoped he’d hear. Now the software is distributed to schools and state/county fairs all over the nation.