Heroin will do that . . . . . . . 

 . . . .the death of Sid Vicious

What is there to say about the death of John Simon Ritchie except it is worth noting that interrupting the addiction of taking heroin and going back to it is a universal danger that has seen the death of many. The whole deal of addiction is you continually want more and build up resistance or tolerance to it. You might argue that once taken you never get that first 'hit' feeling back and either go on a life long (sic) search for it or give up. Those who take a break or take some time in rehab or detox are used to taking larger and larger quantities but once returning to your substance of choice can take amounts that can cause immediate overdose. The Bangs article below doesn't really get it's facts right but it's worth a read and someone got in touch to ask me to explain this tendency.  I have personally seen and worked with a lot of people who overdose from taking a too strong or indeed too large an amount after trying various forms of detox or rehab. Sid was no exception and indeed may have had even more serious pressures in terms of supply and especially peer pressure not to mention maternal influence . . . . . . 

On this day in music history: February 2, 1979 - Former Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious dies of a heroin overdose in New York City. Vicious accidentally ODs’ in the apartment of his then current girlfriend Michele Robinson who he meets after successfully completing a detox program at Bellevue Hospital. At the time, Vicious had just been bailed out of Rikers Island prison, being held on murder charges for the death of his former girlfriend Nancy Spungen. Sid, Robinson and few other friends are having a small gathering at his girlfriends’ apartment to celebrate Sid having made bail. Sid’s mother has heroin delivered to her son which he takes at midnight and immediately overdoses. But those present are able to revive him and are convinced he is fine. He’ll go to bed with Robinson around 3 am, and in the morning she discovers that he has died during the night. Vicious is only twenty one years old at the time of his death.


Lester Bangs article