Celeb 2 statistic

You may have heard that Corey Haim opted out of appearing in any future sequels to Lost Boys in the most official way possible.

Corey Haim, 1971-2010

I always rooted for the vampires in Lost Boys, so I can't say that I was as touched by the news of his passing as much as a hardcore fan would be.  To be honest with you, I thought that the other Corey was the one that died when I heard the news.

"Nope.  I'm still alive.  My teen heartthrob status on the other hand..."

Haim's struggles with drug use are pretty well publicized.  It wouldn't be a surprise to find out that drug use had something to do with his death.  His story could very easily end up being another "Celebrity needlessly wastes his life on drugs" story.

That's a doggone shame.  Not just Haim's circumstance, but the way drug use is looked at in this country.

I don't condone pharmaceutical recreation at all, but I also can't condone the way that it's percieved as a failing of character rather than an symptom of an illness.

If someone is willing to ingest substances known to be highly toxic  in order to escape...something...  Well, that sounds like more of a mental disorder than someone just being a halfwit with drugs.

Mental health services aren't always covered by health plans.  That could change soon in Wisconsin, but for right now they aren't.  When you can't afford expensive therapy or legal prescriptions, the street pharmacist might seem like a pretty good deal.

A friend of mine works in the Marathon County Jail.  He was talking shop the other night about how many folks come in stoned to the gills on any number of substances, or for committing crimes to acquire those substances, and how many of them are "repeat customers" of the jail.  I have to wonder, with better access to mental health treatment, would these folks have a better go at life?

At the very least, with better access to mental health care being available, we would be better able to sort the ones who are getting high for kicks out from the ones who are getting high in a misguided attempt at healing.

Who knows?  Maybe that Lost Boys reboot could have happened.

Be Cool,

TS