Numerous celebrities have expressed their grief in the wake of Philip Seymour Hoffman’s death, but the Oscar-winning actor’s apparent drug overdose hit particularly close to home for Demi Lovato.
Lovato took to Twitter Sunday (Feb. 2), slamming the glamorization of drug use in popular culture, in an effort to start a conversation about addiction.
“I wish more people would lose the stigma and treat addiction as the deadly and serious DISEASE that it is. Drugs are not something to glamorize in pop music or film to portray as harmless recreational fun. It’s not cute, ‘cool’ or [admirable],” she wrote. “It’s very rare when people can actually predict their addiction and even then, you never know when too much is going to take their life or take a bad batch of whatever it is their using.”
The former Disney star went on to say that artists should be conscious about what they are promoting in their songs.
“Addiction IS a disease,” she continued. “Please spread the word so we can take the taboo out of discussing this illness and raising awareness to people of all ages. RIP Philip Seymour Hoffman.. An INCREDIBLE artist who lost his life to this horrible disease.. May you rest peacefully and in complete serenity now that your pain is gone. God Bless.”
Lovato, 21, checked into rehab back in 2010. Since then, she has been open about her struggle with addiction.
“I couldn’t go without 30 minutes to an hour without cocaine and I would bring it on airplanes,” she told Access Hollywood in December. “I would smuggle it basically and just wait until everyone in first class would go to sleep and I would do it right there. I’d sneak to the bathroom and I’d do it. That’s how difficult it got and that was even with somebody [with me].”
Hoffman also battled drug addiction as a young adult. During a 2006 interview with CBS, he revealed he got sober when he was 22 years old because he feared for his life.
Hoffman was found dead in his New York City apartment Sunday (Feb. 2) of an apparent heroin overdose.
By Cavan Sieczkowski
