Yesterday, the world woke up to the news that American pop star, Demi Lovato, was hospitalized for a suspected substance overdose.
The singer has a very long history of substance use and abuse for years, which evidently, led to her near-death experience yesterday.
She was lucky, most weren’t.
Here is a run down of some top musicians that died as a results of substance abuse.
1. Michael Jackson
Top of our list is the King of Pop. Michael Jackson suffered cardiac arrest and died after he had reportedly been administered the drug propofol and three anti-anxiety benzodiazepines, lorazepam, and midazolam, in his home in Los Angeles on the 25th of June 2009. He was 50 years old when he died.
2. Whitney Houston
The Queen of Pop kicked the bucket after overdosing on multiple substance. It was reported, that at the time of her death, the 48 year old had traces of marijuana in her system, Xanax (anxiety medication), Flexeril (muscle relaxer) and Benadryl (allergy medication). The final blow according to the LA County Coroner, was cocaine, which triggered the heart attack, that caused her to lose of consciousness and drown.
3. Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse was a British pop star that had the world at her feet. The singer died after drinking too much alcohol. At the time of her death, the singer had consumed more than five times the legal drink-drive limit, having 416 mg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood in her system, just so you know, the legal driving limit is 80mg.
4. Prince
Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Prince was known for his eclectic work, flamboyant stage presence, extravagant fashion sense and use of makeup, and wide vocal range. Prince died after overdosing on Fentanyl. Prince was 57 when he was found alone and unresponsive in an elevator at his Paisley Park estate on April 21, 2016. Public data released six weeks after his death showed he died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 50 times more powerful than heroin.
5. Chris Kelly
Chris Kelly, one half of the 1990s rap duo Kris Kross, has died in an Atlanta hospital at the age of 34. Kris Kross was made up of Kelly, known as “Mac Daddy”, and Chris “Daddy Mac” Smith. They are most widely remembered for their 1992 hit Jump. His mother told authorities in Atlanta her son became sick after taking cocaine and heroin on the night before.
Regular and continuous use of psychoactive substances results in addiction and like the case of the above superstars, death.
