Death is always tragic. However, many times the circumstances surrounding a person’s death can be more tragic. An example would be the circumstances surrounding Mac Miller’s death.

Pittsburgh-born rapper Mac Miller, who was born Malcolm McCormick, passed away on September 7, 2018, of a lethal drug overdose, caused by the drugs fentanyl and cocaine.

His sudden death shocked his fans and many other musical artists. Artists such as Drake, Pharrell, Wiz Khalifa, and ex-girlfriend Ariana Grande among others took to social media to pay their respects.

Mac Miller leaves behind five albums, and 12 mix tapes, that included a number of songs including Donald Trump, Smile Back, and Loud. His latest album, entitled Swimming included the songs Self Care, Hurt Feelings, and Come Back To Earth. Each entered the Billboard Hot 100 music charts at 33, 70, and 91 respectively, the week following his death. Mac Miller left behind a great following.                                                                                                                                                              

However, there is a much bigger issue here that needs to be addressed. The cause of Mac Miller’s death was a lethal cough syrup overdose. Drug usage has been a cause of countless deaths, especially in the grueling, demanding entertainment industry.

In the past, many celebrities used drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, and heroin. But nowadays, celebrities, especially musical artists, have began to struggle with stronger drugs that have become more mainstream. Those drugs, which are predominantly used in pill-form, include MDMA (also known as ecstasy or molly), Xanax, a variety of opioids, and many others. People use drugs to help with anxiety and/or depression, and artists have come out about their battles with depression.

What the world needs to know is that drugs will only help their depression for so long. Mac Miller reportedly battled depression, which triggered his drug use, and now we all know what happened. These drugs will kill you. Don’t do that to yourself.

How should Mac Miller be remembered? Yes, we should remember him for the artist and the man he was. But, we should also use his death as just one of the many cautionary tales about taking excessive amounts of drugs, either for depression, anxiety, or recreational use. Please don’t do drugs. Your life isn’t worth it.