Addict by Jerome McDonough has been successful in helping many young people stay away from drugs. Producers of Addict have urged the author to write another awareness tool for a world that has sunk deeper and deeper into the despair of substance abuse. Users is that tool. A pill pusher, an inhalant abuser, a user of PCP, a marijuana user, a cigarette smoker, and abusers of many other drugs tell their stories and show the horrible outcome. It's a frightening play that will make young people think—and resist.

From the author: This is a good place to bring up a point in regards to productions of Users or any play by Jerome McDonough. Whole scenes or sections may be cut, but every section which is performed must include its outcome. The outcomes are where it all "comes down" and we cannot tell half a story.

Further, the play must be performed as written, the only exceptions being the terminology updates and the "whole section" cuts outlined above. The words and even their order were chosen with great care and "paraphrasing" is strictly forbidden. Equally as forbidden is the inclusion of "additions" to the script. If additional material is presented on the same bill, it must be done separately from Users and credited to the author or authors of the piece(s).

The individual stories are written with the intention of not placing them at any one moment in time or tying them to a certain era. But many things do not remain the same. Therefore, permission is given to change any drug or "street" term in the play so that it reflects the day of production. The local health and drug-awareness and police agencies are good places to "run the script by" with the purpose of checking for out-of-date terminology. Frankly, I would hesitate to produce Users without taking this precaution. Yesterday's words become today's jokes and none of us want Users to become a comedy.

Users is in no sense a play for children. To reiterate, no kids.

One act; Set, stark, almost empty stage with costumes characteristic for each scene. All "prop" drugs, paraphernalia and most other props are to be mimed.

Other McDonough Young Adult plays: Alky, Blues, Carriers, Dolls, 'Hoods, Juvie, Splits, Turners

See also: Awareness Plays for Young Adults