After the public out-pouring of grief on the social networks yesterday over the death of Amy Winehouse, I foolishly said:
“You shallow b******s – I saw a handful of comments regarding the tragic events in Oslo and yet when a talentless junkie dies you all want to jump on the bandwagon. Shame on you all.”
Some people agreed with me, many didn’t.
This is not the time or place to discuss the merits of Ms Winehouse’s music but it is probably a good time to discuss addiction, the use of banned substances, and the way addiction is treated in Wales.
This is something we at Welsh Icons have talked about for many years but have never had the time or courage to commit ourselves to. The majority of the team are addicted to one substance or another whether it’s alcohol and cigarettes, self-prescribed pharmaceuticals or something that many would consider to be a little stronger.
I realised that I had a problem many years ago when I went along to a drugs dependency unit as a ‘supportive partner’ for a friend who was an intravenous heroin user. We both had to keep a diary for a week of all drink and drugs (legal and illegal) we had consumed. My friend got a methadone script and I was told that I’d be dead within a few years.
I’m not going to name names but one of our editors has been fighting alcoholism for the past few years and has even spent time in a mental institution and another member of the team cannot go a day without self-medicating with the likes of Codeine, Tramadol and cannabis.
As a news site we have many dealings with the police and other services and sometimes we are as guilty as other media sources in blindly reporting what they would like you to hear. There is rarely an event we go to cover where there is not use of legal and illegal substances – be it cider and skunk or vintage wine and charlie.
In the coming weeks, as the editor of this site, I intend throwing open this debate to you, our readers and we will endeavor to provide you with accurate and confidential sources of information.
Just remember that there are a few hundred deaths a year directly related to heroin use, tens of thousands deaths a year caused by alcohol and over one hundred thousand tobacco related deaths.
We would also like to hear from people who have experience of a non-substance form of addiction such as gambling, computer games, sex or even Facebook.
Please let us know what you think – all correspondence will be treated in strictest confidence. We may lose advertisers but so be it.
