As a young adult who thoroughly enjoys listening to music artists who frequent the topic of addictive substances, I can honestly say that I’m concerned with the wellbeing of my generation and the generations that come after mine. The amount of negativity that is exhibited in lyrics on a regular basis is frightening. There are a variety of artists who promote the usage of xanax, percocet, molly, promethazine with codeine and cocaine. A lot of them are drug users themselves, but some artists are trying to normalize drug addiction to make it appeal to the younger listeners. It’s damaging the health of people who have no business partaking in these various drugs.
Whenever I’d go to parties and see people recklessly popping xanax bars and/or mollies, I would ponder on whether or not they know the amount of milligrams of the pills they were taking, or if they understood the risks. Sometimes when I’m on social media platforms, I see posts about young people around my age and younger, talking about drinking lean (a.k.a. purple drank/sizzurp) and popping xans. Most of the people who drink lean, aren’t even aware how the active ingredients effect the body if it’s being abused. Lean contains a cough syrup which can consist of the active ingredients, promethazine and codeine. Because codeine is an opioid, it has effects similar to that of heroin, which is an opioid as well. The effects of drinking lean can include: slowed heart rate, slurred speech, loss of coordination, involuntary eye movement, constipation and urinary tract infection(s). Opioids are effective in terms of relieving pain, but are extremely addictive. At high doses, opioids can cause a person to go into respiratory or cardiac arrest. The withdrawal process can include, but is not limited to: insomnia, anxiety, goosebumps, hot/cold sweats, muscle aches, nausea and diarrhea.
Now, xanax are a different type of drug. They’re considered benzodiazepines, which are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders. They’re meant to relax the nervous system and can also be addictive. The effects of abusing xanax are: nausea, difficulty concentrating and remembering, feeling drowsy and lightheaded. If abused for long periods of time, one can experience disorientation, confusion, slurred speech and a loss or coordination.
Combining opioids and benzodiazepines can be dangerous since they both have addictive qualities. They’re sedatives, so being too relaxed can limit a person’s ability to respond physically, making it easier to slip into a coma. They can also change the breathing pattern, causing the breathing to reduce. That alone can cause damage to the brain and lead to death.
I’m not saying this to frighten anyone. I want people to be aware of the risks they’re taking when they follow the advice of those who may not have their own best interests in mind. Trust me, I still listen to music where all the artist talks about is doing various drugs I wouldn’t ever think to abuse myself.
The difference between myself and those who end up falling into the trap is that, I know what will benefit my health, and what will hinder it.
Don’t allow yourself to become a victim of pharmaceuticals, when your favorite music artist is getting paid to promote nonsense and normalize abuse to those who are most impressionable.
Want better for yourself and those around you.
