The Abuse Of Drugs In The Music Industry

There are concerns that the music industry has been over-run with drugs and alcohol amid a culture of ‘self-destruction’ among young male and female musicians and entertainers alike. Many have embraced the dark side of the music industry and ended up in more trouble than they courted.

Does the music industry overly glamorize and perpetuate the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol? An entertainer operates in an environment that gives positive reinforcement to damaging behaviours like none other, and hundreds of thousands -find themselves coping with the fallout from that. Celebrities may be at special risk but speaking with some stakeholders in the Nigerian entertainment industry, they revealed that they are addressing the menace.

The shocking stories are familiar – lives being cut short and dreams shattered by costant alcohol and drug abuse. Cocaine contributed to Whitney Houston’s death. She drowned in her bathtub in a Beverly Hills hotel. Michael Jackson died not far from the same location in 2009 after his doctor administered a lethal dose of the sedative Propofol. British singer Amy Winehouse was troubled by addiction and died of alcohol poisoning.

In recent years, there have been excessive consumption of drugs and alcohol among Nigerian entertainers but many of them are still grappling to manage its damaging effects. Experts say alcohol and drug abuse is a problem in the general population but entertainers are especially vulnerable because of the long hours on the road and the intense demands of keeping up with performaces. There’s a lot of down time, a lot of traveling, a lot of boredom, a lot of sitting, a lot of doing nothing and more.

Drug and alcohol abuse is a special risk for those who find fame and fortune as performers. Some people around the artistes can be enablers and others may turn a blind eye to the addiction. Successful artistes are creative and driven, and some have underlying emotional problems that fuel addiction and need treatment.
Some young musicians think drug use is part of being creative. The availability of the so-called ‘cool factor’ which is quite disapproving, play a bigger part in the entertainment business than other professions.

The industry is less tolerant of drug use now than a few years ago. Those who work with celebrities say the key to dealing with drug abuse is early intervention, effective treatment and a support system. They say recovery can be a lifelong process.
In the music industry, there is majority because they see it as a source of inspiration. Music is one of the most influential art forms of today’s society, and drugs, especially to today’s youth, just add to the attractiveness of it all.

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