Drug Usage and Famous Lives It Demanded

The year 1969 and one could say almost the entire 60s brought along many events and

changes in the United States of America. The Vietnam War, the rise of rock music, different

types of movements and several taboos including the gay community, nudity, not excluding

the spread of drugs either.

Illegal drug consumption kicked off in the 60s and made

distinct types of drugs very popular among young people. The most

common, so called soft drug was marijuana.

At the same time heroin, a heavier substance was also well-known. Then came

something even more dangerous, the LSD. It made people go on incredible “trips”. Some

relaxed them and some did just the opposite, hyped them all up. Either way, for this or that

reason drugs were widely used, most of the times illegally.

Hippies were also especially keen on weed and they were not

particularly afraid of diving into harder drugs, exactly like

musicians. Singers and other musicians freely advertised drug consumption or at least it was

not a secret they regularly took some. They openly glorified drugs. Don’t Step On The Grass,

Sam, a song by Steppenwolf says it all. According to some musician, smoking weed gave them

brilliant ideas for song writing. It inspired them. Another great example for public consumption

was Woodstock, the music festival where everything was allowed and possible. Woodstock was

recorded and participants proudly smoked their joints right in front of the camera.

However, despite all the wonderful feelings and euphoric experiences drugs caused,

they also had their tragic side effects. Excessive usage resulted in death.
 Dying from overdose became

more and more frequent and within the circles of musicians as well.

The ecstatic adventures took Jimmy Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis

Joplin and many more at a fairly young age. The series of death put drug usage into a different

perspective. Steppenwolf came out with a song entitled Snowblind Friend, reflecting a

completely distinct attitude.

Some say and there are even statistics stating that drug use was not even that spread, in

fact, many people were scared away from them due the various side effects. However, I couldn’t

fully agree to that. Because if that had been the case we wouldn’t have lost the previously

mentioned famous people and so many more ever since then. On a final note, to honor all these

musicians, let me sing a short cover of Piece of My Heart by Janis Joplin to you.