“I wrote the words about a friend of mine; his name was Gareth Spaulding, and on his 21st birthday he and his friends decided to give themselves a present of enough heroin into his veins to kill him. This song is called ‘Bad.'” – U2's Bono, Gothenburg Sweden, 1987
The Indirect Dangers of Drug Use
Michael Jackson's death was an overdose death. It was precipitated by an infusion of the general anaesthetic Propofol administered by a licensed doctor. For this reason, we tend not to see his death as the result of drug abuse. In rejecting that possibility, however, we ignore the broader context. Jackson's use of Propofol stemmed from his inability to sleep, and that flowed from his addiction to prescription painkillers. This shows that drug-induced harms are sometimes indirect.
Canadian fans of Tim Hortons restaurants might not be aware that his death, at 44 years of age, arose from a combination of alcohol, amphetamines and velocity. It was not the drugs that killed him, it was a concrete culvert and high-speed driving while intoxicated. This takes indirection to another level, where harms flow from second-order non-drug effects. Reducing exposure to such harms is a personal and rational choice. It is also a focus of our work at Emergent Horizons. Horton was a high-functioning athlete and not an addict, but it was a combination of drugs that took his life.
The Role of Emergent Horizons
The passing of Bono's friend Gareth Spaulding was the result of a heroin overdose. The opioids, a class of drugs to which Heroin belongs, silence the breath of life more effectively than any other. They are also at the heart of today's overdose crisis, largely due to the extremely toxic variants that infuse the illegal drug supply. On 14 April 2016, the Government of British Columbia declared the overdose crisis a Provincial health emergency. The performance (or lack thereof) of this crisis management approach is shown in the graph below.
For the past three years, policy-makers have experimented with the decriminalisation of small amounts of drugs, to reduce the stigma of illegal drug use and encourage users to enter rehab. This trial was cancelled on January 14, 2026 because it failed to provide the benefits sought by its creators. The focus has now shifted to the Access Central approach, which helps users navigate the burgeoning and complex recovery-informed programs within the Provincial healthcare system. Emergent Horizons will be working independently, and within this system, to enrich the lives of those in need of guidance and help. The U2 song "Bad" underlines the urgency of this task.
Why I Recorded This Song
In 1984, Bad became U2’s statement on this societal trend towards increased mortality. I recorded this tribute in part because of my love of the Live Aid performance, but also because it complements the theme of my forthcoming book The Science and Spirituality of Addiction. The video features 31 celebrities that touched my life in one way or another, but lost theirs to the ravages of drugs and alcohol. The avoidable loss of such enormous talent haunts me and helps drive my mission to reveal the enormous potential in every human being and help them tap into their own resourcefulness. Without access to effective internal resources, we too often rely on their chemical and behavioural analogues.
The vocals and guitar were recorded in my basement. Garage Band, combined with my programming efforts, delivered the drums, bass and keyboards. While you watch, please say a prayer for all those struggling in their fight against addiction.
Bad Lyrics
If you twist and turn away
If you tear yourself in two again
If I could, yes I would
If I could, I would
Let it go
Surrender
Dislocate
If I could throw this lifeless lifeline to the wind
Leave this heart of clay
See you walk, walk away
Into the night
And through the rain
Into the half-light
And through the flame
If I could through myself
Set your spirit free, I’d lead your heart away
See you break, break away
Into the light
And to the day
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
To let it go
And so to fade away
To let it go
And so, fade away
Wide awake
I’m wide awake
Wide awake
I’m not sleeping
Oh, no, no, no
If you should ask then maybe they’d
Tell you what I would say
True colors fly in blue and black
Bruised silken sky and burning flag
Colors crash, collide in bloodshot eyes
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
If I could, you know I would, if I could, I would
Let it go
This desperation
Dislocation
Separation, condemnation
Revelation in temptation
Isolation, desolation
Let it go
And so fade away
To let it go
And so fade away
To let it go
Oh now, and so to fade away
I’m wide awake
I’m wide awake
Wide awake
I’m not sleeping
Oh, no, no, no
Songwriters: Adam Clayton / Dave Evans / Larry Mullen / Paul Hewson
Bad lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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