Stop Saying 'They're Just Junkies'

Alicia Cook is from New Jersey "F*** junkies. It's disgusting. What lowlifes." Thursday morning began like all of my other Thursday mornings. I was at Starbucks. I wanted a Venti Iced Chai Latte because it tastes like Christmas. The line was long; two women in tailored suits and pumps were chatting in front of me. The newspaper rack caught one of their attentions and she nudged her friend towards the headline without picking the paper up. That's when she said it. One of the only words that can make me visibly cringe. My eyes darted to the headline. It was highlighting my state's widespread heroin problem. There weren't even any pictures for her to draw her uneducated conclusion; just a cheesy, antiquated stock photo of a needle and a spoon. I bit my lower lip like I usually do when I try to keep my mouth shut. "Excuse me," I interjected, politely. "How do you know I'm not a heroin addict?" She stared blankly at me, speechless, so her friend answered for her, "You don't look like one. You're dressed for work." I stopped being polite. "I know an addict who looks just like you." We need to stop using the word "junkie" when referring to those who are battling addiction. I want it to be outlawed. To be a word one cannot use liberally in a public space. I want human beings to feel shame if they slip and use the "J" word. Because, simply put, its use is doing nothing to help the cause. I want it to be considered a slur, much like a homophobic, body-shaming, or racial slur...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news