All of us have heard the tragic news that Whitney Houston passed away on Saturday at the all too young age of 48. She had struggled with her own demons throughout much of her life, and it was reported over and over. She has been gone for less than 24 hours, but those who need to fill the 24 hour a day news cycle have already begun to draw their own premature conclusions.
All kinds of folks have been interviewed on the networks, from celebrities to the sound guy at the Staples Center. Tony Bennett is using this story to proclaim that drugs should be legalized. HLN’s very own Jane Velez-Mitchell is reporting that Xanax and other prescription drugs were found in the superstar’s hotel room. I think I would be safe in saying that Jane could find Xanax in the homes of nearly 40% of Americans. Jane issued the caveat that she is not jumping to any conclusion about Ms. Houston’s cause of death, but, no, make that BUT, celebrities have died from the abuse of prescription drugs in the past. So Jane, and others, have already decided to start the rumors and further tarnish this woman’s reputation.
Some of you commented the other day about how we are unable to trust the folks who deliver the “news”. This is another case where it doesn’t matter what the truth may be, at least this news outlet can claim they were first. One of the most egregious examples of this need to break the story ahead of the other networks happened when Congresswoman Gabby Giffords was shot. With absolutely no official statement or reports to support it, news anchors stated that Ms. Giffords had died. Her husband was still on his way to Arizona to be at his wife’s side, and yet, there was no concern or consideration as to how this might effect his feelings or concerns.
So, we will be treated to days of this type of coverage and some very wrong things will be said. The one thing we can be sure of, at least on HLN, is that Dr. Drew will be more than happy to weigh in on Ms. Houston’s history of addiction and the reasons she died.
Empress
realhousewifeofaiken 
Hi Empress,
I actually agree with Tony Bennett but that’s another story. I feel for her daughter as I know how
it feel to be motherless. I pray she has some good support around her.
When I first heard the news I thought to myself that Dr Drew is going to be all over this.
One of the problems with smoking meth is that it damages your heart so she could have been
clean for drugs but the damage was already done. Very sad.
Good Day Empress………
I adore Tony Bennedetto and I hope that it turns out he did not make such a silly comment.
Jane Velez-Mitchell is a helmut-headed moron IMHO who never misses an opportunity to tell the world how many years she’s been clean and sober. Seriously, she says it every single day on her show, without fail. I understand that AA and all the other 12 step programs work for millions of people and that’s all fine and dandy. It’s the mindless trumpeting of the attributes of the program that I object to which is what she does all the time. She carries on as if this is the only way a person can maintain sobriety when, in fact, that’s not true. I managed to stay sober for 24 yrs. without going to meetings and was a bartender for the first 5 or 6 yrs.
Like you, I’m certain both she and Dr. Drew will go into overdrive next week with the news of Whitney’s passing and they won’t let any little details like possibly the truth get in the way of their telling of the story. The two of them are very predictable that way.
So I guess you’re not still holding out for any hope of redemption for Dr. Drew, right?
🙂
You mean for Dr. Drew’s redemption? Or Traylor’s redemption? JVM’s? teeheehee
There is a tiny snowball’s chance in hell that Drew Pinheadsky could redeem himself IMHO. The rest of them……even less of a chance.
Hi Empress, I actually agree with Tony Bennet and Nancy. However I totaly understand Pussy’s POV too.
People are going to pollute themselves if they have a mind to. Whether they use legal or illegal means it is matter of prefernce and opportunity. I’m tired of policing people and supporting drug lords who ruin our state parks with tracts of pot farms or decemate an entire nation south of our boarder over the huge profits made from illegal drugs sales.
That said, God Speed to Whitney.
P.S. – Mental Health and Rehab services should be 100% free. That would greatly impact the continued abuse of drugs. We’d have the money of we leagalized and taxed the drugs.
And my illegal stance excludes paralytic and other serious drugs used in operating rooms.
Oh, don’t forget meth and cocaine. Those are delightfully illegal street drugs with a high “fun” rate! (until they kill you)
I can see de-criminalizing small amounts of marijuana but to legalize drugs carte-blanche is opening the door to problems that may be the end for clear-thinking, rational human beings!
I ran acrosss this u-tube info wars video on facebook and it was worth listening to, it is political
OOps I didn’t know that it would embed here, I thought I was posting a link
He does have an interesting argument. Thanks for posting it.
whew! I was worried. If I do link something that you think is too political and would cause a rant, please delete.
I think a comment would only cross the line if we began killing each other over candidates or specific policy matters. A discussion over drugs seems reasonable to me. Most rants are welcome.
If I think that something might pose a problem, I will e-mail my reasons to you as to why I thought it might have become too controversial and deleted it.
I did not mean to imply that the idea of legalizing drugs is silly or that I’m against the idea. My point about Tony Bennett and what he is alleged to have said is that it makes no sense. How would legalizing drugs have changed anything for Whitney Houston?
I’ve done a lot of drugs in my time and it is only by the Grace of God that I’m here today able to even discuss the issue. I had a few very close calls. At one time I was adamant about the legalization of all drugs worldwide and I believe many problems would be solved by doing such a thing. However, in the last decade I’ve been vacillating as I’m no longer certain that that is the answer. There are no easy answers to this problem unfortunately.
I understood what you meant because that was my first impression when I saw his interview (yep, sorry, PG, he really did say it) – that is just seemed to be premature.
As for legalizing drugs, if you look at the video Donna posted, and I have read this in other journals, people are more likely to die from prescription medications. So, making more drugs legal isn’t the cure all. People will abuse just about anything, from drugs to McDonald’s Big Macs.
People are more likely to die from prescription medications because they are more readily available to the general populace. People also use prescription drugs in an improper and excessive way resulting in death. The narrator of the video sounds as if he has used illegal drugs extensively, his larynx is ‘burnt’. Mass availability of narcotics is not going to stop abuse and death any more than repealing Prohibition cured alcoholism. Alcohol is a dangerous and toxic drug, more so than natural marijuana. There is no easy answer to this problem. Some people will destroy themselves no matter what. It is very sad.
However…WhitneyHouston, in answer to a question posed by Barbara Walters blamed (natural??) marijuana as the beginning of her problems with drugs!!
Experts call it a “gate-way” drug for a darn good reason!!!
Geesh!
I have such a low tolerance for statements that are so untrue!!
Judy, I am not sure which statements you are referring to as untrue. Marijuana has been a gate-way drug because a user is introduced to an underworld of more serious drugs because of it’s illegality. I am truly not sure which untrue statements you refer too…that Whitney blamed her drug use on marijuana or that marijuana is natural? When I referred to “natural” marijuana, I was referring to marijuana as a pure plant substance not “cut” with other chemical additives. It is also true that alcohol is a more dangerous toxic substance than alcohol and alcohol is legal. People cannot die from smoking a load of marijuana in a sitting but certainly can die from drinking too much alcohol in one sitting. Alcohol is a systemic poison. I’m not sure your response was to me since it looks to be a response to PG, but some statements I said seem to be addressed. If you were responding to my comment, I hope I have made my intentions clearer for you.
When I refreshed the page Judy, your post did fall under my post so if I haven’t addressed your concerns with my comments please feel free to ask for further clarification.
Should say ….alcohol is a more dangerous toxic substance than marijuana and alcohol is legal…..these little reply boxes and lack of good proofreading= my downfall.
It’s all about CHOICES…… Some good some not so good… I guess it’s how much value you assign to your life as to whether or not to allow anything in excess to consume you….Drugs taken for medicinal purposes serve their purpose..BUT this is what my bone of contention is…I have a MEDICAL NEED for pain medication that would allow me to be a functioning member of society….BUT because of the actions of those who CHOSE to OD on drugs I now am being punished and denied access to the very drug that allowed me to function…. So I get punished by the actions of SELFISH FUCKERS….. So excuse me while I do not have any symphathy for those who CHOOS to live their lives under the influence purely for recreational use….Loss of life is sad..yes..BUT when you speed up the process and especially to those in the entertainment industry …TOUGH SHIT…Yes I am angry…..
When you spend 8 nights and 9 days in the hospital to only be told upon discharge DONT CALL FOR FOLLOW because you dont have a job…duh..been in the hospital…and you dont have insurance… you tend to become bitter about the medical society…
But yet I can stand behind some ASSHOLE in the pharmacy who is all of maybe 25/ 26 on FUCKING MEDICAID and getting his monthly quota of 190 ROXIES….100 xanax and some other shit that the STATE PAYS FOR….. WOW…. talk about resisting the urge to BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF SOMEONE….and oh yea boohoo…little shit has a bad back…. 25 and a bad back…. I should take a bat WOODEN to his back..he would know REAL PAIN THEN…..
Okay..I feel kinda better…. Off to sit with my baby Bubba the 13 yr old lab… He is on his last few hrs here with us….. Pray for Mr ford…. he is taking it rough…I am teflon woman…Will cry later in the shower…..
Hugs and Peace
Diva
I am sincerely sorry for your pain Diva and want you to know that I’ll say a rosary for you tonite! Warm hugs! xo Judy
I am really sorry for the trap you are in and I know what you mean. The health industry is purely profit driven and the business of the 190 roxies and 100 xanax every freaking month like clockwork….well familiar with that scenario. I believe there should be mandatory random drug testing, we occasionally do it and certainly find out who is selling their meds. Believe me, they make a great living doing it!
Blessings to you and Bubba. Tough times. xo
OMG (((Diva))) I can talk about it now because both are now deceased. My mother had osteoarthritis and insurance which paid for her pain meds. My son worked and didn’t have insurance. He had an accident (off the job) that left him with a severe concussion and injury to 3 vertebrae. He had serious headaches and it was very painful for him to walk. On his bad days my mother would cut back on her pain pills and give them to my son. (her doctor prescribed too many pills a day) After that he couldn’t work, couldn’t get SSI, so he lost his home. When living with friends he was walking to my house to spend the night. on the way over he was mugged and died the next morning in the hospital. My mother was in cancer treatment at that time (she survived it) she wanted to go off treatment and die. I had to talk her out of stopping treatment because that is what my son would have wanted.
I sincerely hope that Obamba Care is available for you (I don’t know the details).
My son died January 2006, My Father died October 2009, brother November 2009 and Mother January 2010.
Donna, So sorry for your losses, so tragic and so close together. I wish this civilized, developed country of ours could catch up to European nations that care about the well being of their citizens. There are just too many sad stories that could be improved so easily. Blessings to you as you continue through life after these losses.