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Archive for the ‘celebrity’ Category

Yet Another Celebrity Death Due to Prescription Drug Overdose: Corey Haim Dies at 38.

Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

Corey Haim

Corey Haim

80’s child star Corey Haim was pronounced dead in his mother’s California apartment on March 10th after a long struggle with substance abuse.

Read the full story here:

http://www.popeater.com/2010/03/10/corey-haim-dies-38/

It continues to concern me that celebrity after celebrity (Jimi Hendrix, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, Anna Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger, Britney Murphy, DJ AM, Michael Jackson, Corey Haim, etc.) have been dying prematurely due to PRESCRIPTION drug abuse.

Just because a doctor prescribes a drug to you, it does not mean that it is 100% safe. Many prescription drugs have adverse side effects, many of them are addictive and when taken more than the prescribed dosage or combining them with other prescriptions, many of them can be fatal. Prescription drugs, while used for medical purposes can be helpful, but prescriptions continue to move out of the realm of medicine and into the realm of addiction and even street drugs. Currently, some prescription medications (oxycontin for example) are being sold for $20.00 per pill on the street.

Prescription drug abuse is big business. Police, during the investigation of the death of Corey Haim discovered that several of Corey’s prescriptions were tied to an illegal prescription drug ring. A quote from People Magazine states that “The ring orders prescription pads from vendors using stolen doctor identities, the AG’s office said in a statement Friday. The pads are then either sold on the street to addicts or to people who are paid to fill the prescription and then sell the drugs on the underground market.” See the
full article below:

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20351491,00.html

It appears that the latest celebrity craze of rehab (made even more popular by shows such as Celebrity Rehab and Intervention) is on the rise. My hope is that, like most

celebrity trends, the general public will begin to realize that drugs can destroy lives and that seeking treatment is a positive step.  People are quick to point fingers when someone dies from overdose, labelling them a bad or weak person, but the truth is that most of these people have battled for years on end against an addiction that has taken over their entire life. It is not as easy as saying “Just stop taking pills.” Prescription pills are widely available, publicly accepted, affordable and can be highly addictive. The affect that they can have on the lives of those addicted is profound and tragic.

After this recent string of celebrity deaths, I hope that Hollywood makes the first step to acknowledge that prescription drug abuse is a serious problem rather than vilifying those who struggle with addiction. If Hollywood takes the first step, it may trickle down to the general public admitting that there is a serious prescription drug problem in North America.

Qualifier: I will note that toxicology reports have not yet been released in the death of Corey Haim and the rumors of prescription overdose are conjecture at this point.

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Is Britney Murphy Another Celebrity Victim of Prescription Overdose?

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

This past Sunday (December 20,2009), actress Britney Murphy died from what is being called cardiac arrest.  However according to multiple sources:

“various prescriptions were found in the home — written for Brittany Murphy, husband Simon Monjack, and Brittany’s mom. One source says, “There were a lot … a lot of prescriptions in the house. . . . . . .A check of the nightstands revealed large amounts of prescription medication in the decedent’s name. Also noted were numerous empty prescription medication bottles in the decedent’s husband’s name, the decedent’s mother’s name and unidentified third party names.

According to the notes, the medications included Topamax (anti-seizure meds also to prevent migraines), Methylprednisolone (anti-inflammatory), Fluoxetine (depression med), Klonopin (anxiety med), Carbamazepine (treats Diabetic symptoms and is also a bipolar med), Ativan (anxiety med), Vicoprofen (pain reliever), Propranolol (hypertension, used to prevent heart attacks), Biaxin (antibiotic), Hydrocodone (pain med) and miscellaneous vitamins.

The notes say, “No alcohol containers, paraphernalia or illegal drugs were discovered.”

Source: TMZ

Although the coroner’s report has not yet been released, the amount of prescription medications found in the residence is alarming.

There is still a perception that prescription drugs help people and do not harm them.  However, virtually every illegal “street drug” in existence today started out in the medical realm.  Examples of this include Cocaine, “Special K” and Amphetamines.  The reason that these drugs moved away from the medical realm is that there were substantial negative side-effects in utilizing them.  With that being said, just because something is prescribed by a doctor, it does not mean that it cannot hurt you.

Many prescription drugs are highly addictive and their use needs to be monitored by a qualified medical professional.  “Doctor Shopping” (going from doctor to doctor to get your prescriptions filled so that the doctors are  not aware of the volume of prescriptions you re taking) and using other people’s medications (even borrowing one Tylenol 3 because you have a headache) are growing in popularity, with detrimental side effects.  Britney Murphy may be the newest in the growing list of celebrity deaths, including DJ AM, Heath Ledger and Michael Jackson due to prescription drug use.

Whether celebrities set the trend, or simply reflect the trend, the reality is that people are dying from prescription pain killer addiction every day.   Just because a substance is prescribed by a doctor, that does not mean that it is not addictive, or that it cannot be abused.  Cocaine used to be widely prescribed for medical reasons and now it is relegated to the street, perhaps Oxycontin is the next medical drug to be deemed too risky for medical benefit and sold only as an illegal substance.  Any type of drug use and abuse, whether or prescription or not comes with consequences.

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Posted in Drug Testing, celebrity | 8 Comments »

The Death of DJ AM May Have Been Triggered by Prescription Drug Use

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

Prescription drug addiction is becoming a leading problem in North America. Reportedly today’s teens are at a high risk of taking prescription medication, such as pain killers, as a means of getting high. The 17th annual study on drug abuse found that more teens had abused prescription pain medication than cocaine, crack, ecstasy or LSD. People often think that taking prescription drugs isn’t as bad as taking street drugs, because a doctor gives it out, but that is not true. People can get addicted to medications just as easily as crack, cocaine, etc. Drug addiction is a biological, pathological process that alters how the brain functions. Prolonged drug use changes the brain in fundamental and long lasting ways. These long lasting changes are a major component of the addiction itself. It is as though there is a figurative ’switch’ in the brain that flips at some point during drug use. The point at which this flip occurs varies from individuals, but the effect of this change is the transformation of a drug abuser to a drug addict.

People who are injured and prescribed pain medication from their doctor, will take the meds without question because it helps the pain, but after a period of time your body becomes tolerant to the medication. So the result is the patient taking more than prescribed to help curb the pain, and also taking medication that isn’t prescribed to them personally. It becomes something that they can go day to day without. This is when addiction steps in. When someone is depressed or badly injured, they need to be watched closely so that they don’t abuse their prescription. An example of this would be to look closely at the rise and fall of Adam Goldstein (DJ AM).

During Goldstein’s 20’s he was battling an addiction to crack cocaine. He was at the beginning of his DJ career, which is a scene where drugs are a big attraction. “Drugs became my identity” Goldstein said in a 2005 interview about his troubled past, “I would DJ until 2am, go get drugs and stay up until 10 in the morning doing drugs alone in my apartment.” Also during this time he struggled with his weight and it reached 300lbs.

He was depressed and felt like his life was spinning out of control so he decided to attempt suicide. He was at a critical time in his life, but his attempt did not succeed. After this he decided to do everything in his power to turn his life around. That was 11 years ago. He lost 115 lbs and was clean for 10 years. He was an inspiration to drug abusers everywhere.

On Sept 19, 2008 after performing at a college event with Travis Barker (of the band Blink 182), Goldstein was seriously injured when a Learjet, in which he was travelling crashed during takeoff in South Carolina. The crash killed 2 crew members, and 2 other passengers. DJ AM and Barker were transported to Joseph M. Stillburn Center in Augusta, Georgia, both listed in critical condition. Goldstein suffered severe burns on his hands and part of his head. He was released from hospital on September 26, 2008.

” I have a great deal of faith that everything happens for a reason. I put myself in God’s hands.” Goldstein told People Magazine in October 2008.

He was prescribed medication for pain and post traumatic stress after surviving the plane crash. Sources say he really struggled with the pain after the crash. But to outside sources they said ‘It seemed like he was functioning fine. And he never missed work.” Obviously that wasn’t the case, when months later he was found in his New York City apartment, deceased from an overdose. This happened around 5:20 pm on Friday August 28th, 2009. Sources speculate that the death was simply a drug overdose, other sources speculate a suicide. Either way there were signs of drug addiction and abuse. Found beside Goldstein was a crack pipe and a half bag of crack cocaine. Reports also indicate that he was found with 9 OxyContin pills in his body.

Nobody had thought that he would go down this path again, considering he had seemingly overcome his addiction. He was even filming a show for MTV to help young people battle addiction and get sober, based on his experiences. Some say that the filming had triggered those thoughts of drugs again, but once you are addicted to prescription drugs it can open up the door to street drugs.

The most commonly abused prescription drugs.

1. Opioids

  • Examples : Oxycodone (OxyContin), Hydrocodone (Vicodin), and Meperidine.
  • Medical Uses : to treat pain or relieve coughs or diarrhea
  • How they work : Opioids attach to opioid receptors in the central nervous system ( the brain and spinal cord ) preventing the brain from receiving pain messages.

2. Central Nervous systems (CNS) Depressants

  • Examples : Pentobarbital Sodium (Nembutal), Diazepam (Valium), and Alprazolam (Xanax)
  • Medical Uses : CNS Depressants are used to treat anxiety, tension, panic attacks and sleeping disorders.
  • How They Work : CNS Depressants slow down brain activity of a Neurotransmitter called Gaba. The result is a drowsy or calming effect.

3. Stimulants

  • Examples : Methylphenidate (Ritalin) and Amphetamine/Dextroamphetamine (Adderall)
  • Medical Uses : Stimulants can be used to treat Narcolepsy and ADHD
  • How They Work : Stimulants increase brain activity resulting in greater alertness, attention and energy.

4. Over the Counter Drugs

  • People mistakenly think that they aren’t as powerful because you don’t need a prescription for them. But it is possible to abuse or become addicted to over the counter (OTC) medications, too. One of the most common only abused over the counter drugs is cough syrup.

Addiction, in any form, is a slippery slope.  Even drugs that are intended to help can end up causing damage.  Improper use of prescription medications is still substance abuse, even though the drugs themselves may not be illegal.  If you suspect that someone you know is struggling with prescription pain addiction, SureHire offers drugs testing services, and works in conjunction with a treatment centre to offer counseling and recovery services.  You can call 1-866-944-4473 to find out more.

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What Are The Consequences of Prominent Figures/ Roles Models Use of Illegal Drugs

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

In January 2009, photo’s surfaced of olympic gold medal champion, Michael Phelps, using what appears to be a marijuana pipe.  “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,” stated Phelps  in a statement released to the Associated Press.  While this undoubtedly is true, does this incident have long lasting consequences on society in general?

In September 2006, Paris Hilton was arrested on charges of impaired driving.  Hours after her release, Hilton defended herself to radio host Ryan Seacrest during his Thursday morning show saying, “It was nothing.”  Her cavalier attitude only adds to the growing concerns about celebrity mishaps and their affect on fans.

Both the American and Canadian public have a tendency to idolize individuals who excel in public careers.  Actors, singers and athletes become celebrities and are often not judged on the merit of their work, but rather on their personal lives.  Is this fair? Probably not, but the reality is there.  Unfortunately, some of these “celebrities” do not send out a positive message to their young fans.

Traditionally it has been accepted that people in the “rock and roll” music industry tend to party, and partake in illicit drugs.  And let’s face it, facts are facts,  several prominent figures in music have admitted to having substance abuse problems.  Drug use has been portrayed as a glamorous part of the industry.  Entirely common place.  The harsh reality of addicted meth or cocaine addicts, just dosn’t seem to come across in the tabloids.  A generation has grown up seeing drug use as OK, and even trendy, and now we wonder why drug use and abuse is on the rise amongst youth.  Drugs, and in particular marijuana are seen as no big deal!

In the past 5 years, the trend of drug abuse has been glamorized even further through the “rehab” trend of young Hollywood.  People often joke that it is just part of the “initiation” into the world of Hollywood.  DUI’s (driving under the influence) and short-term jail stints have become envouge.  Now in some American states, as many as 28% of vehichle fatalities have a connection to impaired driving.  We are not getting the message!

And now, professional athletes, who are regarded for their discipline, and dedication to their body and to their sport are succumbing to the influences of drug and alcohol abuse.  It appears as if no one is beyond the grasp of substance abuse.  Who do young people have left to look up to as role models?  Is this all just a coincidence?

Media and celebrity affect each of us in our day to day lives.  Young people idolize celebrities, so when these celebrities take part in risky behaviour, it is seen as socially acceptable, or even cool.

Something has to be done to stop this trend, before it spirals completely out of control.

Posted in Alcohol Testing, Drug Testing, Interesting Facts, Newsworthy, celebrity | 1 Comment »