Escambia County Middle School students couldn’t bear to see images of what the krokodil drug does to the human body.

The krokodil, a flesh-eating drug, was one of several drugs that were talked about during the Drugs Erase Dreams (DED) at ECMS last Thursday.

The DED team, made up of Circuit Judge David Jordan, Ruth Harrell, Court Reporter Denise Carlee, and Michael and Katie Roley, visited each middle school in Escambia County to make students aware of the harmful effects drugs can have on the body.

“We’ve presented to five schools,” Jordan said.

Each of the team members gave presentations on different drugs, including marijuana, alcohol, prescription drugs and methamphetamine, along with the health impact each make.

Jordan talked about the myths that go along with marijuana.

“I’m really bothered by the misinformation out there,” he said. “Alcohol and marijuana are gateway drugs.”

Jordan also talked about prescription drugs, and how being in the court system, he sees the effects of illegal pill taking every day.

During each presentation, a short video was shown chronicling the rise and fall of teenagers who make the decision to take drugs.

Carlee’s presentation was about the different kinds of food that have marijuana in them and their names.

For example, a Kit Kat bar with marijuana is called a “Kif Kat;” a Snickers is called a “Snockers,” she said.

Carlee reminded the students that even though they may not see these drugs harming others that they can still kill.

She reminded the students to do one thing: be smart, never start.

To end the program, Michael Roley shared his testimony about being a former addict.

He said he spent 25 years of his life with his addiction.

“I didn’t wake up one day to be a drunk or an addict, but I did,” Roley said. “I was a professional drunk and addict.”

Roley spoke to the ECMS students last year, and reinforced to them that “one time is going to be too many, and that 1,000 times is not enough” when it comes to drugs.

The Roleys helped drive the point of how drugs can take control of people’s lives by performing a skit with Michael on a ladder tempting his wife, Katie, with some “drugs.” In this case, the drugs were a lure.

Once Katie got a taste and couldn’t let go, Michael enacted a fisherman never letting go of his or her catch.