Victims of Intoxication 

The bright star Carrie Fisher succumbed! Whitney Huston acceded. Amy Winehouse walked into the unknown. Peaches Geldof or Bobby Christina weren't far behind. We searched for Kurt Cobain. Lost in the smoke, he tried to retrace. Fate had different plans for him. The talent of River Phoenix or that of Heath Ledger is still to be replaced. John Kordic, David Waymer, Paul Hayward, Anthony Durante preferred hiding behind a film of haze rather than facing their fears. George Best could create wins on fields but he could not best over his wretched friend.

So many are gone; more shall go. The takers will never stop. The givers will make supply available for an affordable sum of money. The money is always meager in terms of the value of the lives they vanquish. What John Simon Ritchie, aka Sid Vicious, Janis Joplin achieved in their twenties was remarkable. What more could they have given us, is an itchy question. They snuffed away their biggest gift- lively creativity.

National Institute on Drug Abuse, U.S.A gives a comprehensive picture as to why some people indulge in addiction while others don’t. They also stress on how adolescence and familial environment apart from genetics plays an important role. Those who avoid substance intake probably do so because of superior social association, parental supervision, scholastic proficiency and their social stature as a child in the neighborhood. With all these given competences too, some have dived into this pool of nothingness.

Why we abuse substances, not only psychoactive drugs but alcohol and tobacco? When does the fun bit become a habit? We, humans, have a tendency to explore things and succumb to the unusual. The number of people experimenting in future is only going to increase with over-the-counter drugs, prescription drugs, psychoactive substances, tobacco, alcohol, and legal marijuana. How much potential is going to be destroyed?

Their ability to say 'No' is the only reason the humans rule the food chain. Maybe it is time to say ‘no’ to all the things that affect us negatively. This is a wild and insecure world. Inert matters are subjugating us. Let us be vigilant. Be careful of when to say no to excess - to not succumb to these non-living substances. Elvis Priestley could have given us so many more beautiful music and Michael Jackson, so many more moon dances. Let these celebrities guide our lifestyle by being careful- to govern our choices and consumption. We can control them if we like. Let’s try.