DRUG FREE

This nicely done, kind of psychedelic drug free tattoo is by Shauncey Fury at Three Saints Tattoo in Pensacola, FL… I like that robo was included on the drug side, although my own drug of choice is down in ‘G’ territory. I was thinking that the problem with this tattoo is that even though it has a straightedge message at its core, the detail work is going to get people talking and thinking about their experiences with drugs (that’s what it did for me anyway).

90 thoughts on “DRUG FREE

  1. Even though I’ve had almost entirely good experiences with drugs, and I agree that the tattoo makes me think of ‘good times’, I think the point of it is that the person thinks ‘drug experiences’ are bad things, even though they appear pretty cool. Can’t say I agree though… 🙂

  2. Even though I’ve had almost entirely good experiences with drugs, and I agree that the tattoo makes me think of ‘good times’, I think the point of it is that the person thinks ‘drug experiences’ are bad things, even though they appear pretty cool. Can’t say I agree though… 🙂

  3. It looks like something he USED to do and is proud of giving up, of course. It looks fantastic.
    Well, more actual thought about drugs rather than braindead “drugs are good/drugs are bad” approaches has surely got to be a good thing…

  4. It looks like something he USED to do and is proud of giving up, of course. It looks fantastic.
    Well, more actual thought about drugs rather than braindead “drugs are good/drugs are bad” approaches has surely got to be a good thing…

  5. Even though I’m not straight edge This piece is awesome looking the colors are brilliant and I love that pot leaf at the bottom…even though it’s a straight edge tattoo it kind of makes me want to smoke a bowl

  6. Even though I’m not straight edge This piece is awesome looking the colors are brilliant and I love that pot leaf at the bottom…even though it’s a straight edge tattoo it kind of makes me want to smoke a bowl

  7. Nicely done ink!

    I wonder if they take aspirin, or have existing medication, or what they would do in a hospital?! Do they consider caffeine a drug? What about ‘supplements’ too…

  8. Nicely done ink!

    I wonder if they take aspirin, or have existing medication, or what they would do in a hospital?! Do they consider caffeine a drug? What about ‘supplements’ too…

  9. Fucking awesome ink, much more creative than a lot of the edge tats I’ve seen. Definitely nicer to look at than the usual black X’es and straight razorblades. Fucking powerful use of color.

    ubbaken – taking supplements has nothing to do with whether you’re edge, as they’re not drugs, they’re for nutritional purposes (I’m straight edge and have worked in health food for over 4 years, so I have a lot of experience with supplements). Caffiene is considered by some to be a drug, but not all, as it doesn’t have any serious effects. The bottom line is, different straight edgers have different standards.

  10. Fucking awesome ink, much more creative than a lot of the edge tats I’ve seen. Definitely nicer to look at than the usual black X’es and straight razorblades. Fucking powerful use of color.

    ubbaken – taking supplements has nothing to do with whether you’re edge, as they’re not drugs, they’re for nutritional purposes (I’m straight edge and have worked in health food for over 4 years, so I have a lot of experience with supplements). Caffiene is considered by some to be a drug, but not all, as it doesn’t have any serious effects. The bottom line is, different straight edgers have different standards.

  11. Ubbaken, I think you’re nitpicking and I wonder why. I read this tat (though possibly incorrectly) as someone who had bad experiences with recreational drugs and experienced stopping/no longer using them as liberating. Picking at him because you disagree that “drugs are bad” is stupid.

    Particularly since I read this not as about some value judgment on recreational drugs or their use as a whole, but about a personal decision on the part of this person.

  12. Ubbaken, I think you’re nitpicking and I wonder why. I read this tat (though possibly incorrectly) as someone who had bad experiences with recreational drugs and experienced stopping/no longer using them as liberating. Picking at him because you disagree that “drugs are bad” is stupid.

    Particularly since I read this not as about some value judgment on recreational drugs or their use as a whole, but about a personal decision on the part of this person.

  13. Here’s the story, He had turned straight edge and decided that he wanted a reminder of where he had been and what he had done. So we incorporated the drugs he had done into the free side, and a breaking chain on the free side.

    Thanks for posting it Shannon, and thanks for all the compliments from everyone.

  14. Here’s the story, He had turned straight edge and decided that he wanted a reminder of where he had been and what he had done. So we incorporated the drugs he had done into the free side, and a breaking chain on the free side.

    Thanks for posting it Shannon, and thanks for all the compliments from everyone.

  15. I’m sorry…

    I don’t disagree/agree that ‘drugs are bad.’ I am honestly curious as to where he draws the line, though I guess it’s not the best forum to ask. I just believe that anything can be addictive and ‘drugs’ connotatively are a narrow spectrum of a wider class of substances with drug-like properties, and so my understanding and definition of ‘drug’ is different from the conventionally accepted one. I was looking for what it meant for him. It’s great to have an empowering design like that, though.

    The stated motive makes sense and sort of reduces my question’s imperative, but thats alright.

    Again, it’s a great piece altogether.

  16. I’m sorry…

    I don’t disagree/agree that ‘drugs are bad.’ I am honestly curious as to where he draws the line, though I guess it’s not the best forum to ask. I just believe that anything can be addictive and ‘drugs’ connotatively are a narrow spectrum of a wider class of substances with drug-like properties, and so my understanding and definition of ‘drug’ is different from the conventionally accepted one. I was looking for what it meant for him. It’s great to have an empowering design like that, though.

    The stated motive makes sense and sort of reduces my question’s imperative, but thats alright.

    Again, it’s a great piece altogether.

  17. i dont know where im going with this. i think the tattoo looks great – and i get the purpose/meaning but the wording is messed up for this movement….it’s like saying “meat free” but wearing leather….it’s picking and choosing…..(if you are still comsuming caffiene, nicotine, asprin, whatever)

    and i dont mean any disrespect to the tattooed person in the picture, i just wonder who decided that wording, ive seen it on tattoos/patches before…..

    anyone remember that commercial “drugs drugs drugs, which are good, which are bad? drugs drugs drugs, ask your mom or ask you dad.”

    uhhhhh yah!

  18. i dont know where im going with this. i think the tattoo looks great – and i get the purpose/meaning but the wording is messed up for this movement….it’s like saying “meat free” but wearing leather….it’s picking and choosing…..(if you are still comsuming caffiene, nicotine, asprin, whatever)

    and i dont mean any disrespect to the tattooed person in the picture, i just wonder who decided that wording, ive seen it on tattoos/patches before…..

    anyone remember that commercial “drugs drugs drugs, which are good, which are bad? drugs drugs drugs, ask your mom or ask you dad.”

    uhhhhh yah!

  19. i think that it is sweet that, on the whole, straight edge seems to produce a lot of great tattoos. i wonder why it is that straight edge kids seem to have such rad tattoos.

  20. i think that it is sweet that, on the whole, straight edge seems to produce a lot of great tattoos. i wonder why it is that straight edge kids seem to have such rad tattoos.

  21. i never really got why people have things like “drug free” tattooed on them. i don’t do swing dance, bell-ringing or origami but i don’t have it tattooed on me.

  22. i never really got why people have things like “drug free” tattooed on them. i don’t do swing dance, bell-ringing or origami but i don’t have it tattooed on me.

  23. straight edge people have very strong views against drugs, whereas even though you dont swing dance, etc, i’m sure you dont feel it can destroy people and want to show that you dont give in to such things.

    you should respect edge kids and their decision not to do drugs, if you expect them to respect your choice to do them. and vice versa.

  24. straight edge people have very strong views against drugs, whereas even though you dont swing dance, etc, i’m sure you dont feel it can destroy people and want to show that you dont give in to such things.

    you should respect edge kids and their decision not to do drugs, if you expect them to respect your choice to do them. and vice versa.

  25. “i think that it is sweet that, on the whole, straight edge seems to produce a lot of great tattoos. i wonder why it is that straight edge kids seem to have such rad tattoos.”

    You’re kidding, right?

  26. “i think that it is sweet that, on the whole, straight edge seems to produce a lot of great tattoos. i wonder why it is that straight edge kids seem to have such rad tattoos.”

    You’re kidding, right?

  27. Most of the edgers I know have shit ink. Then again, most of them are self-righteous pricks totally lacking aesthetic sensibilities.

    But nice use of color and good work on kicking the drugs on this one.

  28. Most of the edgers I know have shit ink. Then again, most of them are self-righteous pricks totally lacking aesthetic sensibilities.

    But nice use of color and good work on kicking the drugs on this one.

  29. Does anyone actually -like- taking heroic doses of DXM in order to feel dissociation? Yuck! It’s a close one, but think I’d rather smoke some salvia than drink a bottle of tussin again.

    Speaking of, where’s the salvia, eh? Maybe some nutmeg, too? Or morning glory seeds?

    (I’d strongly recommend avoiding any of the aforementioned substances in psychoactive doses. For real. Terrible, horrible, awful, unless you’re a shaman in the Brazilian rainforest, or some serious and hardened psychonaut.)

    I do like the tattoo a lot. I cannot think of a scenario that would encourage me to get a tattoo like this, but perhaps that is exactly what separates me from this individual.

    I don’t think it’s realistic to expect a tattoo in itself to keep one sober, but it can be symbolic of the decision and a reminder of the maintenance necessary. I dated someone once with an “NA” tattoo, but after we broke up, this person ended their affair with sobriety and went back to drugs, tattoo and all.

  30. Does anyone actually -like- taking heroic doses of DXM in order to feel dissociation? Yuck! It’s a close one, but think I’d rather smoke some salvia than drink a bottle of tussin again.

    Speaking of, where’s the salvia, eh? Maybe some nutmeg, too? Or morning glory seeds?

    (I’d strongly recommend avoiding any of the aforementioned substances in psychoactive doses. For real. Terrible, horrible, awful, unless you’re a shaman in the Brazilian rainforest, or some serious and hardened psychonaut.)

    I do like the tattoo a lot. I cannot think of a scenario that would encourage me to get a tattoo like this, but perhaps that is exactly what separates me from this individual.

    I don’t think it’s realistic to expect a tattoo in itself to keep one sober, but it can be symbolic of the decision and a reminder of the maintenance necessary. I dated someone once with an “NA” tattoo, but after we broke up, this person ended their affair with sobriety and went back to drugs, tattoo and all.

  31. Wow that’s brave. I fucking love it, it’s one of my favorite straight edge tattoos.

    You know what the one problem I could have with it though. Because I am straight edge as well I would be concerned about what people would think when they saw only the left arm! (looks like an arm, could be a calf) What happens when someone just sees a giant “DRUG” Tattoos. I wouldn’t want a pot leaf tattooed on me even as a statement because I’m sure people would make assumptions as that part kind of stands out.

  32. Wow that’s brave. I fucking love it, it’s one of my favorite straight edge tattoos.

    You know what the one problem I could have with it though. Because I am straight edge as well I would be concerned about what people would think when they saw only the left arm! (looks like an arm, could be a calf) What happens when someone just sees a giant “DRUG” Tattoos. I wouldn’t want a pot leaf tattooed on me even as a statement because I’m sure people would make assumptions as that part kind of stands out.

  33. its a drug free tattoo not a straight edge tattoo. theres a huge difference between the two. straight edge is more than abstaining from just using drugs and alcohol. its a life style choice that has been water down from too many people throwing the words around. if it said straight edge and had anti drug, alcohol, and promiscuos sex content then it’d be a straight edge tattoo. otherwise it is very well done. i like it

  34. its a drug free tattoo not a straight edge tattoo. theres a huge difference between the two. straight edge is more than abstaining from just using drugs and alcohol. its a life style choice that has been water down from too many people throwing the words around. if it said straight edge and had anti drug, alcohol, and promiscuos sex content then it’d be a straight edge tattoo. otherwise it is very well done. i like it

  35. d-bo, the kid is straightedge. ..as is pretty much every other person that would actively tattoo “drug free” on his or her body.

    ..and please don’t confuse the choice to avoid promiscuity with straightedge. ..straightedge has nothing to do with sex. ..that’s christianity.

  36. d-bo, the kid is straightedge. ..as is pretty much every other person that would actively tattoo “drug free” on his or her body.

    ..and please don’t confuse the choice to avoid promiscuity with straightedge. ..straightedge has nothing to do with sex. ..that’s christianity.

  37. i love this tattoo , i was thinking of geting this down the backs of my legs but then how many edge kids have it , oh and the whole sex thing , its what you make of it really, the whole idea of it is not to go out a fuck everything that has legs, some edge kids sleep around tho, just like everything it only takes a few fuckwits to give anything a bad name

  38. i love this tattoo , i was thinking of geting this down the backs of my legs but then how many edge kids have it , oh and the whole sex thing , its what you make of it really, the whole idea of it is not to go out a fuck everything that has legs, some edge kids sleep around tho, just like everything it only takes a few fuckwits to give anything a bad name

  39. and yeah in the usa “drug free” has a differnt meaning then then say europe, what people dont get is that alcohol is a drug aswell, its addicting and too much of it can kill

  40. and yeah in the usa “drug free” has a differnt meaning then then say europe, what people dont get is that alcohol is a drug aswell, its addicting and too much of it can kill

  41. actually if you look into the history of straight edge there are 3 x’ for a reason anti drug, anti alcohol, and the third is anti promiscuity. it has nothing to d with religion. i grew up in the mecca of straight edge and have been edge for well over 10 years. im convicted enough that i have it tattooed on my face. please try to not tell me what something that is a main principle of my life means. and also i know several people who do not claim straight edge but have drug free tattoos

  42. actually if you look into the history of straight edge there are 3 x’ for a reason anti drug, anti alcohol, and the third is anti promiscuity. it has nothing to d with religion. i grew up in the mecca of straight edge and have been edge for well over 10 years. im convicted enough that i have it tattooed on my face. please try to not tell me what something that is a main principle of my life means. and also i know several people who do not claim straight edge but have drug free tattoos

  43. yeah, i’m not even a little interested in arguing, let alone over the internet.

    btw SHANNON, i just noticed the caption over the ‘leave a comment’ box. ..definitely a fan.

  44. yeah, i’m not even a little interested in arguing, let alone over the internet.

    btw SHANNON, i just noticed the caption over the ‘leave a comment’ box. ..definitely a fan.

  45. its not an arguement its a known fact, too many kids claim edge without knowing what it really is and it becomes diluted into just being drug free. theres way more to it. i have very militant views about it but those aside the main no nos are promiscupous sex, drugs , and alcohol. if you don’t adhere to at least that you are drug free, period no argument.

  46. its not an arguement its a known fact, too many kids claim edge without knowing what it really is and it becomes diluted into just being drug free. theres way more to it. i have very militant views about it but those aside the main no nos are promiscupous sex, drugs , and alcohol. if you don’t adhere to at least that you are drug free, period no argument.

  47. I’ve got a straight edge tattoo on my right calf that has three X’s crashing into 3 glass bottles and a cigarette being extinquished by the liquid flowing from them… (I should submit a pic to ya shannon, but I digress)

    I often vacilate between feeling like the image sufficiently conveys the notion of the destruction of these things and the feeling that I’ve placed on my body forever some of the things I think are destructive to peoples lives…

    As in this case, the work is of such a quality that even when I have doubts about the content, I’m still pleased as punch w/ the exocution.

    I wonder if our friend here has similar feelings?

  48. I’ve got a straight edge tattoo on my right calf that has three X’s crashing into 3 glass bottles and a cigarette being extinquished by the liquid flowing from them… (I should submit a pic to ya shannon, but I digress)

    I often vacilate between feeling like the image sufficiently conveys the notion of the destruction of these things and the feeling that I’ve placed on my body forever some of the things I think are destructive to peoples lives…

    As in this case, the work is of such a quality that even when I have doubts about the content, I’m still pleased as punch w/ the exocution.

    I wonder if our friend here has similar feelings?

  49. shauncey is a super talented up and coming artist that is about to definitely go somewhere with his tattooing! he is relatively new to tattooing and is already blowing most 6-7 year veterans outta the water! pay attention to this kid!

  50. shauncey is a super talented up and coming artist that is about to definitely go somewhere with his tattooing! he is relatively new to tattooing and is already blowing most 6-7 year veterans outta the water! pay attention to this kid!

  51. Lucas, sex DOES has something to do with straight edge. If you read into it, you would know that.

    Secondly, comment #24 is pure ignorance. Not every straight edge kid is preachy or arrogant.

    I love this tattoo. Probably my favorite straight edge/drug free piece. I hardly see good ones.

  52. Lucas, sex DOES has something to do with straight edge. If you read into it, you would know that.

    Secondly, comment #24 is pure ignorance. Not every straight edge kid is preachy or arrogant.

    I love this tattoo. Probably my favorite straight edge/drug free piece. I hardly see good ones.

  53. I love that kid so much. Shauncey did an amazing job on this one. It’s probably my favorite tattoo that he’s ever done.

  54. I love that kid so much. Shauncey did an amazing job on this one. It’s probably my favorite tattoo that he’s ever done.

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