Sir John Suckling was an English poet. He was born in 1609 at Whitton, Middlesex and died in 1642. Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge he was admitted to Gray's Inn, and after inheriting large estates travelled in France and Italy, and served under Gustavus Adolphus. Knighted in 1630 he became conspicuous at court for his wit, prodigality and addiction to gaming. He raised a troop of horse to assist Charles I against the Scots, and was member of parliament for Bramber. Implicated in a Royalist army plot, he escaped to Paris, where he is said to have committed suicide. The invention of the game of cribbage is attributed to Sir John Suckling. Research John Suckling
Angus Deayton is an English actor and writer. He was born in 1956. Although an actor, he is best known for presenting the satirical television quiz show 'Have I Got News For You' from 1990 to 2002 before being publicly sacked amidst accusations of cocaineaddiction and promiscuity.. Research Angus Deayton
Billie (Eleanora) Holiday was a black American jazz singer, actress, civil rights activist and former prostitute. She was born in 1915 at Baltimore and died in 1959. Billie Holiday was the first Black civil rights activist, regularly singing about institutional racism in America, and in 1939 releasing a song ('Strange Fruit') about the lynching of a Black man. Perhaps in response to her influence the establishment hounded her for her heroinaddiction, playing down her incredible musical talent and the message she was spreading of one love, of all people irrespective of race or skin colour, which was later taken up by Martin Luther king. Raped as a child, Billie Holiday was sent to a girls' reformatory when she was eleven where she was terribly abused, before later in life going to live with her mother who worked in a brothel. As an adult she was regularly heckled and arrested at her concerts, abused by the men in her life and understandably turned to drink and drugs to escape and forget; eventually dying from the abuse that was inflicted upon the Black community by the white American establishment. Research Billie Holiday
Addiction is a state of dependence caused by the habitual use of drugs, alcohol, or other substances. It is characterised by uncontrolled craving, tolerance, and symptoms of withdrawal when access is denied. Habitual use produces changes in body chemistry and treatment must be geared to a gradual reduction in dosage. Initially, only opium and its derivatives (morphine, heroin, codeine) were recognised as addictive, but many other drugs, whether therapeutic (such as tranquillisers) or recreational (such as cocaine and alcohol), are now known to be addictive. Research points to a genetic predisposition to addiction; environment and psychological make-up are other factors. Although physical addiction always has a psychological element, not all psychological dependence is accompanied by physical dependence. A carefully controlled withdrawal programme can reverse the chemical changes of habituation. A cure is difficult because of the many other factors contributing to addiction. Research Addiction
Encephalin is a naturally occurring chemical produced by nerve cells in the brain that has the same effect as morphine or other derivatives of opium, acting as a natural painkiller. Unlike morphine,
encephalins are quickly degraded by the body, so there is no build-up of tolerance to them, and hence no addiction.
Encephalins are a variety of peptides, as are endorphins, which have similar effects. Research Encephalin
Basquiat is a biographical drama starring Jeffrey Wright, Michael Wincott, Benicio Del Toro and Claire Forlani in the story of the graffiti artist Jean Michel Basquiat who became the talk of the New York art scene, and his battle with his heroinaddiction. Basquiat was directed by Julian Schnabel in 1996. Research Basquiat
Nil By Mouth is a drama starring Ray Winstone, Kathy Burke, Charlie Creed-Miles, Laila Morse, Edna Dore and Chrissie Cotterill in a story about a dysfunctional family living in a South London estate trying to cope with drug addiction, alcoholism and domestic violence. Nil By Mouth was directed by Gary Oldman in 1997. Research Nil By Mouth
Sweet Nothing is a drama starring Michael Imperioli and Mira Sorvino in a story about a young, middle-class couple who start drug dealing in order to make some quick money, but succumb to addiction and dependency. Sweet Nothing was directed by Gary Winick in 1995. Research Sweet Nothing
Abbreviations
Research Charlie Parker
