Of course deaths are related to lifestyle...that is surely patently obvious. The truth is more likely to be that these men would have produced less had they remained piously anti poisons. Thompson could indeed write like a King when he was barely a teenager. he was blessed with sublime, precocious natural talent...but he was truth seeker, and to deal with the quest for truth, he used various substances. Partly to help ease the stress of delving into the shitpool of Reality, but also, because he enjoyed changing his state of mind and body and feelings...Without drugs, he would never have hit it off so magnificently with steadman. without drugs he would not have had the relationship with Acosta, there would be no fear and loathing...either in las vegas or on the campaign trail.
His death was down to a serious desire to escape from Life. His body was ailing, as happens fairly regularly to 67 year olds, most of his closest friends were dying or dead, and the world around him seemed too cold and ugly for his continued participation. At a very early age he had written, and told many people, that he could not keep on living were he not in possession of the power to end his life at any point of his choosing. Hardly heroic, but far removed from drug addled nonsense...
To fail to understand the importance of drugs in the lives of Burroughs, Thompson, Bukowksi...and yes, I am including alcohol as a drug...is to fail to understand them as men, and their art. of course I understand that appreciation of these artists, any artists, is subjective. But to me, as an aspiring wordsmith, they are as close to demi gods as I have, other than...Alexander the Great, ghengis Khan and perhaps Attila the Hun.
Drugs were part of their lifestyles, the writers, not Warrior Kings, and it was their lifestyle which gave them the richness which appeared so vibrantly in their writing.
I am not screaming Marijuana is wicked!!! all drugs are great!!!!...i never would do so. I was merely trying to explain that to label ALL stoners as mindless, was disgracefully innacurate.