Amy Whinehouse RIP

[Roberta]

This about sums it up! NOT SAFE FOR WORK!

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/3...9276508164.jpg

[Will]

I think it's disgusting that even if you're not a fan or don't like a person, having glee over someone's death is beyond shocking.

I think it's a shame that she got into that self destructing spiral - for anyone to be in such a state is awful, I Fear though that a lot of people still see it as "cool" and will remember her for being a little bit off her head, and something to aspire to.

Whils I liked a few of her songs, I didn't really like her character or what she became, but irrespective of that it's tragic that another young life is taken by something like drink and drugs. It must have tormented her, especially with the choice of men she decided to hang around with, but I guess you can't always choose who you fall for?

[Jingo]

There is so much ignorance when it comes to mental illness, addiction and drug abuse; whether it is internet trolling or general consensus I'm uncertain.

Originally Posted by Will

I Fear though that a lot of people still see it as "cool" and will remember her for being a little bit off her head, and something to aspire to.

I hope that in her death, a greater awareness and/or understanding may be brought to the masses and that the opposite to your fears may occur; that the indie-cult-romanticism of being an epitome of excess is shattered with the realisation that you cannot live like that - 'superstar' or not.

[Will]

What I fear though is a bit of the "what's good for the goose is good for the gander" attitude especially from younger impresionable people who are a bit more susceptible to such peer pressures.

[TinkerBell]

This isn't the first time a famous musician has died from drink or drugs. I am very sure she won't be the last unfortunately.

It has been happening for years and I believe that the amount of people taking drugs and drinking has increased. You can't stop people choosing drink and drugs. What needs to happen is the government to crack down on drug users, drug dealers etc. I was watching a program the other day about a rough council estate and people kept going into prison addicted to drugs, came out clean, then they got addicted again because they couldn't get a job and there was nothing to do, the effects of the drugs caused them to steal or be aggressive then they went back to prison. The government needs to sort this out pronto. If something isn't done this will just keep happening.

[Del Lardo]

Originally Posted by TinkerBell

What needs to happen is the government to crack down on drug users, drug dealers etc

Well the 40 year old War on Drugs has done so well that clearly what we need to do is criminalise the casual user and discourage addicts from getting help. I agree that the current solutions are not working (and don't claim to have a solution that will fix all) but wonder what would happen if instead of spending a fortune on a war on drugs we tried spending the money on education and rehabilitation.

[Kitten]

I thought we did spend a fortune on education and rehab.

[Jingo]

The government has recognised the failings in existing process and as of this year has made/is making major changes to the strategies in dealing with drugs.

"Cracking down on drug users, drug dealers etc" are two entirely separate issues: you cannot look to resolve the issue of drugs by criminalising users or tarring them with the same brush as dealers for one.

Current failings financially are based in an excessive multitude of services available, and socially an enormous relapse rate of ~90%.

The new government strategies are focussing both finances and efforts towards abstinence-driven programmes opposed to maintenance programs (i.e. methadone/subutex).

We're looking at a very well researched and major strategic change, but these processes do not happen overnight.

[Tiggy]

Originally Posted by Roberta

This about sums it up! NOT SAFE FOR WORK!

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/3...9276508164.jpg

That's exactly the attitude a few of my friends have demonstrated on facebook. The main culprit, someone I really thought was a very close friend of mine, has recently had very unforgiving attitude towards people she knows that have mental health disorders.

I've honestly been expecting her to appear on my doorstep banging on my door with an angry mob because our opinions differ.

I'm tempted to post that picture on my facebook, but I know it'd cause a whole extra wave of trouble.

One of the girls I became friends with as we both had babies in July 2007 took her own life 2 and a half years ago. We all knew Emma suffered with severe depression. In her case we knew we were doing all we could, and so was her family to keep her with us. We all as her friends knew what was going to inevitably happen. But it didn't make her death any less upsetting.

[Will]

Originally Posted by Jingo

The government has recognised the failings in existing process and as of this year has made/is making major changes to the strategies in dealing with drugs.

"Cracking down on drug users, drug dealers etc" are two entirely separate issues: you cannot look to resolve the issue of drugs by criminalising users or tarring them with the same brush as dealers for one.

Current failings financially are based in an excessive multitude of services available, and socially an enormous relapse rate of ~90%.

The new government strategies are focussing both finances and efforts towards abstinence-driven programmes opposed to maintenance programs (i.e. methadone/subutex).

We're looking at a very well researched and major strategic change, but these processes do not happen overnight.

Bang on. A casual recreational (important word) user who is well educated and understands the things they are doing are not likely to cause the issues that the gangs set out on winning a property/patch war or for undercutting/supplying etc...

Let's not tar casual users with dealers.

The drugs that the late Ms Winehouse was addicted to isn't a result of her being forced, or them being readily available (though at that level of fame and social circles it's SO easy to get anything you want) it was a psychological imbalance that convinced her to take them. Irrespective of whether she took them in the first place, she started smoking and drinking, and became dependent on that... then clearly the same thing happened on harder drugs.

Drugs alone aren't an evil that destroys lives, else alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and about another hundreds of drugs used daily would have to stop. It's the drug ABUSE that causes the problems, the addictions, the crimes. It's not just a single point failure, it is not the root cause - it's one of a multitude of issues.