John - Voices of the Street

John shares his personal story of addiction, imprisonment, and recovery through a guided tour of Vesterbro.

As a 16-year-old sailor, John first tried heroin on the open sea. What followed was more than 20 years of drug abuse on the streets - first in Aarhus, then in Copenhagen. He spent his days hanging out, scoring drugs, and finding money to support his habit. Crime became inevitable. He served time in prisons in both Thailand and Denmark.

It was in prison, during a period of isolation, that something began to change. To pass the time, he started reading - philosophy, history - and felt something awakening inside him. Slowly, he moved away from drugs toward a life of reflection and curiosity. John believes that people struggling with addiction are more than their dependency. They have depth, interests, and dreams like everyone else.

On this tour, John will show you around Vesterbro, share his story, and introduce you to the support services available to drug users.