by Shira Golding

The Dangers of Heroin Addiction

Heroin is an incredibly abusive drug that can destroy lives and cause death.  Don’t believe me?  Here are some examples of celebrities who became addicted to heroin at a very young age and the pain it caused in their lives.

When he was just six years old, Robert Downey Jr. first became addicted to drugs.  According to his testimony, he was “surrounded by drugs, and that was the type of home he grew up in.”  Amazingly, at age twenty-two he recognize that he had a serious drug problem and went to rehab in 1987.  However, the pull of drugs is a hard call to ignore and Downey was arrested three times in 1996 for drug and weapons charges.  Jail, rehab, and more heroin all went hand in hand for Downey for many, many years before he finally broke free of heroin, although he says he is still regularly stopped by law enforcement officials.  Courtney Love “reportedly used heroin during the early stages of pregnancy with her daughter.”  She also was introduced to drugs at a very young age; as a four year old.  After being arrested in 2003 she was rushed to the hospital for an Oxycontin overdose.  Oxycontin is related closely to heroin.  Although Love has been through rehab several times, drug use and legal troubles continues to haunt Love’s life.

Many people would point to the successful acting career of Robert Downey Jr. and the multiple awards of Courtney Love as “proof” that their drug problems did not affect them in their day to day lives.  However, here are two more examples that disprove that theory.

Chaske Spencer, who most people recognize from the Twilight movies as wolf pack leader Sam Ulrey, has a sobering story to tell people about drugs.  When he was fifteen Spencer was first introduced to alcohol on the Native American reservation where he grew up.  Cocaine and heroin followed.  “Next thing I know, my heart’s pounding, and I’m up all night. I think I’m gonna die, but I still did it again and again,” he told People magazine.  “I started smoking it, then snorting it. Three months in, I was doing it every day. I’d never memorize my lines; I couldn’t function to audition. My work ethic went out the door.”  After rehab and a year of staying free from drugs, Spencer landed his career making role in Twilight.  The actor estimated he lost over two million dollars to his drug addiction.

Nicole Richie, co-star of “The Simple Life” with best friend Paris Hilton, has also struggled with a heroin addiction.  She was arrested in 2006 for driving under the influence of drugs.  Proponents of drug use say that many illegal drugs make you a better driver.  However, Richie was arrested for driving the wrong direction on the highway.  Clearly, drugs were not beneficial to her driving skills.  Currently on probation and expecting in November, Richie is quickly reaching the point where she must master her drug addiction for the sake of her three children.  These are just a few of the many celebrities whose lives have been needlessly complicated and harmed by their addiction to drugs.  With examples like these, it is clear that heroin is a dangerous drug.