Skid Row
On Skid Row in Downtown, Los Angeles, there are many less fortunate people. Some of these people are homeless, mentally handicapped, physically handicapped, drug addicts and people who have nowhere to go or sufficient money to have a place called home. Many of these people stay in missions to get prepared for living on their own, while others remain on the streets.
Charlie
Charlie is a 23-year old originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin raised in Austin, Texas, and now lives on Skid Row in Downtown, Los Angeles. Charlie is a heroin addict, and has been shooting up since the age of 19. "Any time I have money, I buy heroin, it’s more important than food. That's the only thing I want. I would steal, lie, and do anything to get it. “When I’m high on on heroin I feel numb, carefree… like a child.” When asked if he thinks he would ever stop shooting up heroin Charlie replied "No, never." Although Charlie said he thinks he will never stop doing heroin, he is checking into a drug rehabilitation center in Santa Monica tomorrow. “I am extremely selfish.” Charlie said.; "There are many options out there to help people like me, but I don’t want to take advantage of them. Recently, I have been thinking about going back home to my family, but before I do that, I need to get sober.” Charlie used to have a girlfriend who stole thousands of dollars from her mom’s bank account to feed her drug addiction, “I always asked her how she could do something so evil … but now I am doing the same thing.”
Balloon
This is what they call a "balloon"; which is a tiny rubber-like piece where the heroin is kept in small amounts. This small rubber hold $10 worth of heroine and is dealt of the streets of Skid Row, in Downtown, Los Angeles. Yenniv, a homeless man on Skid Row, who is also a heroin addict said, “I will give a used needle to the buyers for free, but I will charge $1 for a new needle.” Yenniv also explained about the “needle exchange program” that Skid row has; In this program, people trade used needles for clean needles free of charge to prevent infections and transferring diseases. Yenniv said “Getting heroin on skid row is easy, all you gotta say is ‘You got a balloon?’ and you got it.”
Shooting Up
“Yenniv” is a heroin addict on the streets and has been shooting up heroin for the last 25 years. He also deals heroin on skid row, charging $10 per hit. He sells what they call on the streets a “balloon” which is a tiny balloon-like rubber where the heroine in kept in small amounts. There are more than half a dozen ways to do heroine. Some people smoke it, and others inject with a needle. “I will give a used needle to the buyers for free, but I charge $1 for a new needle.” Yenniv explained the “Needle Exchange Program” that Skid row has,where they trade used needles for clean needles free of charge. “Getting heroine on skid row is easy, all you gotta say is ‘You got a balloon?’ and you got it.”