Much like violence, the community where Bryon and Mark reside is afflicted by alcohol and drugs, both of which result in adverse consequences. Mark's assailant uses a beer bottle from the "six six-packs" that Terry Jones sneaks into the school dance to injure Mark. Moreover, Mark employs alcohol to render Angela unconscious so he can cut off her hair. M&M's marijuana use leads him to try more potent substances like LSD, which carries numerous long-term effects, including the potential for having "messed up" kids. This is especially heartbreaking for M&M, who once wished for "a large family."