The deaths of Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson are unfortunate.  No one should die before their contributions are over, and these two talented people left far too soon.

The effort to find blame is underway for both of them.  Jackson’s family is especially vocal, most especially demanding the doctor’s hide.  With Houston it is starting out the same way.  The reality is that the families are at fault, each and every one of them, the physicians have a good deal of liability, but the main responsibility falls on Houston and Jackson themselves.

They were both well-known junkies, both relatively well-to-do, and would have found drugs somewhere.  They looked for them, they were not led astray by some evil dealer.  Everyone who helped keep the secret, everyone who protected them from the consequences of their use shares some blame.  And, no matter what, Jackson and Houston would have found drugs.  They actively sought drugs, no one talked them into it.

Two things are true.  Junkies die.  It’s a dangerous practice.  They kill themselves.  Leave them alone.  And don’t let the families off the hook by allowing them to blame others, doctors, dealers, whoever.  They’ve known about this problem for a long time and helped keep secrets.

Arf