Women, Drugs, & Sex: A Connection In Society?

After reading about the "Classic Era" in Substance & Shadow: Women & Addiction in the United States by Stephen Kandall, I was more interested in talking about  drug use within Hollywood, amongst celebrities, and in general how women are often portrayed.  I feel that this an important topic of discussion because in today's society we are exposed to many images, articles, advertisements, etc. within the media of female celebrities being glamorized for their drug use.  As a culture obsessed and totally engulfed in the media world, it is undoubtedly noticeable that when we see women connected with drug use, we often times see it as this glamorized and over-sexualized image.  Why is it that many of these female celebrities are idolized for their drug use?  I feel as thought that the messages sent to young adolescent females who are exposed to this sort of thing only get the idea that it is cool and acceptable to do drugs, whether good or bad simply because they hear or see celebrities connected to drug use.  

Furthermore,  after writing a response to a fellow classmates blog regarding this topic, I found it interesting the correlation of inferiority connected to women and drugs through sexuality.  Although many view that drug use is significantly different between women and men; which is true, why is it that women have to be associated with sex when thinking about women and drugs?  Kandall mentions within the chapter that men were characterized as compulsive and dangerous criminals that were addicts but women’s drug use was associated with sexuality.  I find that particularly interesting seeing as women have always had this inferior role in regards to men in society, and the connection with drug use and sexuality only further shows this inferiority by sort of implying that not only drugs, but that women are objects. If women and drugs are constantly glamorized through society then that is only supporting this idea that women are objectified and that their use of drugs is only susceptible if its in a sexualized way. This is why we see so many female celebrities juggling these drug habits because it has been portrayed to society that these women are sex symbols and if drugs are being glamorized as sexy too then these images were exposed to only further support this idea.