Whitney Houston's Tragic Death: Would Legalizing Drugs Help Those Battling Addiction?

Rx drugs are killing people at a frightening rate and it's so scary to see that people underestimate the powefulness Of Rx drugs... Dr. Drew talks about this misconception extensively (Fri episode). I have lost 5 people in the last 2 years due to Rx abuse/misuse.

Legalizing "drugs" would not solve any problems. Addiction is addiction, a disease. People who abuse drugs for the fun of it or to check out on reality will do what they please, whether drugs are illegal or not. Our state is trying to legalize marijuana. People in support of this must not really understand the negative effects that marijuana cause socially, economically, and physically. Regular marijuana use can cause lung problems, make the user unmotivated and withdrawn, and it also costs a considerable amount of Money. Other illegal drugs are illegal because they have been proven to be detrimental to society at large and to families and individuals.

Common sense is already legal. Being human is, for so many of us, being weak at times and bad in our judgement. Sex being legal does not stop rape. Legalization is not the problem here. That's just my opinion.

No I don't think legalizing drugs would help the problem at all. I agree with what the others said about us being a dependent society and legalizing drugs would just allow more abuse and demise.

My reaction to her passing is sadness not cause of maybe a drug overdose but because she made beauitful music for us to listen too & was so young to pass on. Feels a litle end to a great era of music from my time. I think legalizing drugs wouldn't have made a difference, everyone's body is different on how they react to drugs and maybe even if it was legal who knows how much anyone's body could handle before something fatal happens.

The question is... why WOULD legalizing drugs help those battling addiction??? Legalizing drugs will just create more and more people like Whitney and Michael! So NO legalizing drugs is def not the answer!!!

I grew up with an alcoholic parent who was also addicted to prescription drugs. Legalizing would have done nothing except provide more heartbreak to our family including making it easier for my siblings to get drugs and become addicted themselves. My hubby is an ER physician who works with drug addicts all night. I asked him if it would be easier to legalize the drugs and he said absolutely not. It will cause more heartbreak. Those addicts will still be addicts. I wish those that want to legalize drugs could spend a week in the ER during night shifts with my hubby before they made a final decision.

Legalizing drugs would make it safe for individuals to try different treatment approaches until they found what worked for them. As it is, people are forced into programs that don't work for everyone. The only thing these programs do is generate revenue. If people who were required to be in a program had the option of trying different ones without a penalty if the program didn't work for them - that would be a great thing. Right now there is no way to know what programs really work - people do whatever they have to do to get through the program and avoid going to jail.

It was reported after Amy Winehouses autopsy she died of alcohol poisoning, she also had emphysema and cirrhosis of the liver. She was only 27, the drugs she was addicted to were legal cigaretts and alcohol. Such a same so young i can't imagine how many cigaretts or how much alcohol you would need to comsume daily to get those diseases at such a young age. So sad.

I read the police found several bottles of prescribed medicine if she was addicted to drugs she had them leagally prescribed. If your addicted to any drug you'll do whatever it takes to get that drug doesn't matter if its legal or not.

What a strange comment for Tony Bennett to make? Types of drugs that Houston allegedly took were legal and she likely had a prescription.

Legalizing drugs wouldn't make a difference in my opinion. Legal or not, people can still abuse them and OD on them. If they have an addiction, unfortunately nothing will stop them. They need to seek help to treat the addiction.

Drugs were a huge part in the death of these people- but the main issue was with themselves. I believe that by legalizing illegal drugs right now would only fuel some people's addictions- and may also introduce other people to the drugs. Obviously, the people with the means will be able to get whatever drugs they desire- whether or not they're legal is another matter. Bottom line, legalizing drugs won't help prevent destructive behaviors. Household cleaners, pain killers and food are addicting in their own right to the people using them. There are plenty of items that are legal that are abused, the legality isn't the problem here. Proper education and reading the warning signs, knowing when to get help and learning how to gauge when you're over your head is one part to a much larger solution.

I don't see how legalizing drugs will help prevent the deaths of those who are addicted.

What a ridiculous statement by Bennett! How about going after the enablers in these celebrities lives?! Her so-called friends, doctors, etc. look the other way because they are swayed by the allure of the money and power. These drugs she was taking were prescribed by doctors, not illegally.