Liam Payne, member of popular boy band One Direction, died October 16 in Buenos Aires. News of his death shocked and saddened One Direction fans and family alike.
Just 31 years old, Payne died after jumping off a third story balcony. The suicide case was deemed a tragedy by everyone who heard about it in social media and news sources.
Payne played a crucial role in skyrocketing the band to fame. He received a global level of fame and had a franchise of over $70 million. One Direction topped the charts throughout the early 2000s, and gained worldwide recognition and praise from fans who fell in love with their pop music.
After the band broke up, Payne went on to make a life for himself outside of the spotlight. He married Cheryl Cole and had a son. Payne even started a solo career and released singles such as “Teardrops” and “Strip that Down.”
After having so much, why throw it all away? This is the question on everyone’s mind after hearing the tragic news.
After the band broke up in 2016, he faced problems with addiction. He was found at numerous parties, high on cocaine and other drugs. At his time of death it was no different: an autopsy found multiple drugs in his blood.
Media can only infer that he was not in the right mindset and his drug abuse weighed on his decision to jump. No one will ever know if he was simply too high on drugs to realize he was jumping to his death, or if he was so burdened by his afflictions that he committed suicide intentionally.
Drug abuse is real. Addiction is a real disease. These are real problems that people face daily, and somehow we have normalized it. Marijuana and cocaine have become way too regular and have become overlooked in our society. There are real dangers associated with drug use. Even just recreational, or sporadic drug use, could cause someone to mistakenly jump from a balcony.
Until someone dies from an overdose, the topics of addiction and drugs do not seem to surface. Even if you are not dying from the drugs you intake, it can still lead to heart failure, kidney failure, and much more. There are also so many unknowns when taking illegal drugs. The United States is facing an epidemic right now of young people dying from taking just one pill laced with Fentanyl.
An addiction to alcohol or drugs will impact behavior and alter the brain. But there is always help available. Going to rehabilitation is a choice, but it is the right choice. If you have a problem, you need to take the steps to fix it.
Payne’s death is not the first time a major celebrity has ended their life with drugs as well. Celebrities such as Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, and Heath Ledger have all succumbed to the alluring use of drugs.
What about the modern day person? What about someone who is not famous? About 107,543 Americans have died from drug overdose in 2023.
The topic of addiction and drug abuse does not seem to be discussed until a major celebrity undergoes the same problem. Even though a drug overdose story is not published in news webs all around or on every page on social media does not mean it is not important.
Drug abuse can affect anyone. Whether you are famous or not, the problem is real and our society should be taking steps to fix it.
Payne is just one of the millions affected by addiction. If you are struggling with an addiction and contemplating ending your life, please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. There is hope on the other side. Addiction does not have to define you, and getting help could prevent a tragedy like the one that happened to Liam Payne.
Opinions expressed in editorials are those of the writer(s). These views may not represent the adviser, The Prowler, advertisers/sponsors, the Starr’s Mill High School administration or staff , or Fayette County Public Schools as a whole. Please see our FAQs for more information pertaining to the rights of The Prowler’s staff members.