# Long term famous functional drug addicts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 19, 2012, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313 "2012-02-19T07:46:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/1 "2012-02-19T07:46:42Z")
I realize the big problem is if you are functional enough to hide it the world may never hear of it unless it is revealed after your death, which is the case for William Stewart Halsted who took morphine daily for at least 30 years. > **[William Stewart Halsted](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Stewart_Halsted)** > > William Stewart Halsted, M.D. (September 23, 1852 – September 7, 1922) was an American surgeon who emphasized strict aseptic technique during surgical procedures, was an early champion of newly discovered anesthetics, and introduced several new operations, including the radical mastectomy for breast cancer. Along with William Osler (Professor of Medicine), Howard Atwood Kelly (Professor of Gynecology) and William H. Welch (Professor of Pathology), Halsted was one of the "Big Four" founding pro... > [@](#): > > William Stewart Halsted (September 23, 1852 – September 7, 1922) was an American surgeon who emphasized strict aseptic technique during surgical procedures, was an early champion of newly discovered anesthetics, and introduced several new operations, including the radical mastectomy for breast cancer. Along with William Osler (Professor of Medicine), Howard Atwood Kelly (Professor of Gynecology) and William H. Welch (Professor of Pathology), Halsted was one of the “Big Four” founding professors at Johns Hopkins Hospital.[1] Throughout his professional life, he was addicted to cocaine and later also to morphine.[2] > > In 1884, Halsted read a report from Karl Koller, describing the anesthetic power of cocaine when it is instilled into the eye. Halsted realized that cocaine may be a great local anesthetic. Having learned the scientific method when he was in Europe, Halsted, together with his students and fellow physicians, began to experiment with cocaine. They injected each other’s nerves and showed that cocaine when injected into a nerve can produce safe and effective local anesthesia. Halsted became addicted, and was eventually sent to Butler Sanatorium in Providence, Rhode Island. There they attempted to cure him by converting his addiction from cocaine to morphine. Despite the fact that he remained dependent upon both drugs for the remainder of his life, [5] Halsted was able to function superbly as a physician and surgeon nonetheless-- a remarkable accomplishment. After being discharged from Butler in 1886, Halsted moved to Baltimore, Maryland to join his friend William Welch at the soon-to-be-opened Johns Hopkins Hospital. I realize everyone has a different definition of functional so if you think it fits I’d like to hear about it. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/2 "2012-02-19T07:47:47Z")
Keith Richards? ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/3 "2012-02-19T08:07:06Z")
William S. Burroughs. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ce73a5/32.png) [@The\_Bith\_Shuffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bith_Shuffle)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/4 "2012-02-19T08:09:09Z")
> [@tellyworth](#): > > William S. Burroughs. I’m not sure the word _functional_ applies to a man whose drug abuse leads them to shoot somebody in the head. ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/5 "2012-02-19T08:11:29Z")
He was drunk at the time. But, yes, fair point. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/6 "2012-02-19T08:44:28Z")
Oh yes, Keith Richards. Good example. One of my friends went to a Rolling Stones concert and she was close enough to the stage that she could see the angel of death hovering over him. OK… Not a true story. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/7 "2012-02-19T12:14:49Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > Oh yes, Keith Richards. > > Good example. > > One of my friends went to a Rolling Stones concert and she was close enough to the stage that she could see the angel of death hovering over him > > OK… > > Not a true story. > Sorry. Any angel trying that would be getting bloody tired of it by now I should think. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/8 "2012-02-19T12:31:28Z")
> [@The\_Bith\_Shuffle](#): > > I’m not sure the word _functional_ applies to a man whose drug abuse leads them to shoot somebody in the head. Burroughs kept writing and being involved in other artistic pursuits until his death, at age 83. Thing is “functional” for a famous writer, artist or rock star doesn’t mean what it does for anyone else. Could William Burroughs or Keith Richards have held down an office job as a middle manager? Somehow I suspect not. Sigmund Freud is of course another example: > **[Sigmund Freud | Cocaine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freud#Cocaine)** > > As a medical researcher, Freud was an early user and proponent of cocaine as a stimulant as well as analgesic. He believed that cocaine was a cure for many mental and physical problems, and in his 1884 paper "On Coca" he extolled its virtues. Between 1883 and 1887 he wrote several articles recommending medical applications, including its use as an antidepressant. He narrowly missed out on obtaining scientific priority for discovering its anesthetic properties of which he was aware but had mention... ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/9 "2012-02-19T12:35:58Z")
By all accounts Ozzy Osbourne has had very few periods where he wasn’t on something. Either self-medicating or on Doctor prescribed medicines. Sharon is barely enough of a stabilizing force to keep him from totally destroying himself. Its been touch and go. Ozzy did try to attack Sharon once and went to jail. Ozzy is more popular now then ever and that’s in spite of his problems. I watched _The Osbournes_ regularly and it was obvious that he was heavily medicated. > [@](#): > > The most notorious incident arose in August 1989 when Ozzy was arrested for attempted murder after he had returned from a peace festival in Moscow, Russia, and tried to strangle Sharon in a haze of alcohol and drugs.[7] After the incident, he spent three months in rehabilitation as a result of his actions, after which time, Sharon Osbourne said she regained her strength in their relationship and did not press charges. > **[Sharon Osbourne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharon_Osbourne)** > > Sharon Rachel Osbourne (née Levy, later Arden; born 9 October 1952) is an English-American television personality, music manager, and author. She is married to heavy metal singer Ozzy Osbourne and came to prominence while appearing on The Osbournes (2002–2005), a reality television show that aired on MTV, which followed her family's daily life. Osbourne later became a judge on television talent competition shows, including The X Factor (2004–2007, 2013, 2016–2017) and America's Got Talent (20... ---
**Author:** ![brittekland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@brittekland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brittekland)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/10 "2012-02-19T13:04:14Z")
Hunter S. Thompson ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/11 "2012-02-19T13:29:25Z")
In 1994, I was surprised to learn that Charles Bukowski had been productive pretty much until the end of his life. I wasn’t really familiar with him, but the references I’d heard made me picture a guy who hadn’t been coherent for decades. But writing professionally until you’re 74 is an accomplishment even if you’re not a substance abuser. I think it’s even more impressive that his material success was small enough that he _didn’t_ have an army of handlers, without which people like Osbourne and Richards may not have survived. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/12 "2012-02-19T16:01:39Z")
Johnny Cash. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/13 "2012-02-19T16:12:09Z")
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#): > > Any angel trying that would be getting bloody tired of it by now I should think. I think that poor angel has such a contact high they don’t realize how long they have been there … 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DrForrester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@DrForrester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrForrester)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/14 "2012-02-19T16:22:41Z")
Timothy Leary ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/15 "2012-02-19T16:26:13Z")
Timothy Leary was a god. ETA: No oh, he’s outside looking in. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/16 "2012-02-19T16:29:23Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > By all accounts Ozzy Osbourne has had very few periods where he wasn’t on something. Either self-medicating or on Doctor prescribed medicines. > > Sharon is barely enough of a stabilizing force to keep him from totally destroying himself. Its been touch and go. Ozzy did try to attack Sharon once and went to jail. > > Ozzy is more popular now then ever and that’s in spite of his problems. I watched _The Osbournes_ regularly and it was obvious that he was heavily medicated. > > [Sharon Osbourne - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharon_Osbourne) Those damn Russian Peace rallies! ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/17 "2012-02-19T16:51:06Z")
> [@brittekland](#): > > Hunter S. Thompson Thompson’s actual drug use was exaggerated to promote his public persona. He occasionally commented in interviews that he felt trapped by the “Raul Duke” persona that had gotten out of hand, or that “obviously, my drug use is exaggerated or I would be long since dead”. That’s not to say he didn’t use drugs, just that it becomes difficult to determine his actual usage or dependence. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/18 "2012-02-19T17:17:39Z")
> [@DrForrester](#): > > Timothy Leary I think in order to be considered an addict you need to use addictive substances. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/19 "2012-02-19T18:12:54Z")
Winston Churchill got through a gigantic amount of booze. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313/20 "2012-02-19T18:35:33Z")
[Samuel Taylor Coleridge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleridge_and_opium) would count. His opium addiction did cause him problems, but it also apparently helped him with his poetry, and he was definitely successful given that he was well-known at the time and his work’s still read now. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-term-famous-functional-drug-addicts/613313.md?page=2)