The death of another famous actor made the news recently – Cory Monteith, 31. He was one of the stars on the popular TV show Glee. He died July 13 from an overdose of heroin and alcohol. Heroin is a depressant. So is alcohol. Together, they easily depress the body’s organs until they stop functioning.
I am familiar with this deadly combination from my experiences in the military. I had a soldier who died in my unit in Germany. He had a three day pass and decided to spend it in his room using heroin and drinking a case of beer. Unknown to him, the heroin was more pure that the type he was use to taking. His regular dose combined with beer killed him. I was in the OR with
him when he died. We eventually arrested the dealer.
Cory Monteith had a history of drug abuse. Everyone assumed the cause was an overdose when they heard the announcement of his death. A few days later, the autopsy confirmed the cause of death.
However, I am not writing today so much about Cory but about the entertainment industry. It boggles my mind that the entertainment industry does not do more to help curb the use of drugs (http://clicktotweet.com/7Droc). I am speaking of the acting and music industry. I worked for years in the healthcare industry where drug testing is a condition of employment, as it is in many fields. When I was in the military, we were required to pass a random drug test on an annual basis. Now the professional sports are getting on board with drug testing, although they still have a long way to go.
I do not understand why the TV and film industry does not do the same. I do not know the details of why these industries do not require drug tests. Is it because drug use is so pervasive that there would not be enough actors to make a film? Is it because of the cost? I would think that the cost would be less than the loss of revenue when a key actor dies. Perhaps, it is because producers and directors do not really care. Or is it because many of those same producers and directors and many on their staffs are drug users too? How many more people like Nick Adams, Chris Farley, and Cory Monteith have to die before Hollywood admits that they are part of the problem? http://clicktotweet.com/9ffjN.
The music industry may be in worse shape. Why do the concert halls and big name labels turn a blind eye to drug use? How many more people like John Bonham and Whitney Houston must die before the music industry starts to help by requiring random drug testing? http://clicktotweet.com/ZCB85. I guess the answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.
I am familiar with this deadly combination from my experiences in the military. I had a soldier who died in my unit in Germany. He had a three day pass and decided to spend it in his room using heroin and drinking a case of beer. Unknown to him, the heroin was more pure that the type he was use to taking. His regular dose combined with beer killed him. I was in the OR with
him when he died. We eventually arrested the dealer.
Cory Monteith had a history of drug abuse. Everyone assumed the cause was an overdose when they heard the announcement of his death. A few days later, the autopsy confirmed the cause of death.
However, I am not writing today so much about Cory but about the entertainment industry. It boggles my mind that the entertainment industry does not do more to help curb the use of drugs (http://clicktotweet.com/7Droc). I am speaking of the acting and music industry. I worked for years in the healthcare industry where drug testing is a condition of employment, as it is in many fields. When I was in the military, we were required to pass a random drug test on an annual basis. Now the professional sports are getting on board with drug testing, although they still have a long way to go.
I do not understand why the TV and film industry does not do the same. I do not know the details of why these industries do not require drug tests. Is it because drug use is so pervasive that there would not be enough actors to make a film? Is it because of the cost? I would think that the cost would be less than the loss of revenue when a key actor dies. Perhaps, it is because producers and directors do not really care. Or is it because many of those same producers and directors and many on their staffs are drug users too? How many more people like Nick Adams, Chris Farley, and Cory Monteith have to die before Hollywood admits that they are part of the problem? http://clicktotweet.com/9ffjN.
The music industry may be in worse shape. Why do the concert halls and big name labels turn a blind eye to drug use? How many more people like John Bonham and Whitney Houston must die before the music industry starts to help by requiring random drug testing? http://clicktotweet.com/ZCB85. I guess the answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind.
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