The Junkie Project

About The Junkie Project

The Junkie Project was born from a devastating truth: women in addiction are too often labeled as “junkies”—a label used to harm, diminish, and dehumanize us. But we refuse to let a word define us. Here, “Junkie” becomes our armor—a badge of the challenges we’ve faced, the battles we’ve survived, and the solidarity we now wear with pride.

A Crisis of Women & Addiction

It’s not a niche issue—nearly 17% of Americans (over 46 million people) had a substance use disorder in the past year, whether alcohol or drugs—or both(of those, only 6.3% (just about 2.7 million people) received any kind of treatment)
Women are hit harder in the long run. Although overall overdose rates for women (around 19.4 per 100,000) remain lower than men’s, rates have skyrocketed over time
Alcohol-related death rates among women outpace men—women face 50% to 100% higher mortality risks from health issues like heart disease, liver damage, and suicide, even when consuming less alcohol
Pregnant women are not exempt. Around 5% of pregnant women report using addictive substances, and 14% admit to current drinking, with 5% engaging in binge drinking—putting both mom and child at risk
For opioid addiction specifically, among the 3.7% of U.S. adults needing treatment, only 25% received medications like methadone or buprenorphine—treatments proven to help

Why Women & Homelessness Matters Too

Addiction often goes hand-in-hand with housing instability—and women are disproportionately affected.

In 2024, women made up 39.2% of the national homeless population
Over 90% of homeless women have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse at some point, making safe, stable housing even harder to find
Some women flee domestic violence only to become invisible—unhoused but undetected in streets, shelters, or unsafe arrangements.

Reclaim the Label. Wear the Strength.

The words “addict” and “junkie” have been thrown at us, shoved onto us, intended to shame us. But we reclaim them here. We stand as survivors, as artists, as allies, and we wear the word Junkie like armor—together.

By purchasing from this collection, you help shift power. You fund visibility, conversations, resources—particularly for women navigating addiction and homelessness. You spark the dialogue, smash the stigma, and carry a message of resilience wherever you go.