In case you haven’t heard, Viagra was originally marketed as a diet drug. Back in 1997, a doctor named Andrew Greeley put the compound in people to treat a condition called “edema.” It was originally known by the trade name Viagra in Europe and Canada, and in the US as Sildenafil or simply “Viagra.”
Unfortunately, Viagra had some pretty scary side effects. It increased the risk of heart attack and stroke by 23% in people. In 2007, after suffering a huge blow to its reputation when several men were seriously injured by taking the drug, Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company that makes Viagra, pulled it off the market.
Since then, Viagra has mostly been banned from being sold in Australia, New Zealand, and a handful of other countries. However, it still finds itself on the market in some other parts of the world. In many of these countries, it’s often prescribed for medical conditions like pulmonary hypertension or erectile dysfunction. In some places like China and India, it’s even considered a ‘performance-enhancing drug.’
What was originally designed to be a life-saving drug has turned into a potential threat to men’s health. This is mainly due to the fact that many people are choosing to abuse it. Abusing Viagra will definitely hurt you. The drug has been linked to several deaths. In fact, in 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a public health alert after it was discovered that people were accidentally poisoning themselves with the drug.
The Rise In Popularity
While Viagra was originally marketed as a diet drug, it wasn’t long before people started turning to it for its ability to boost sexual performance. Back in 1999, the FDA had approved a new drug called Viagra Luxury Super Active (LSA), which was presented as a version of Viagra for overweight and obese people. Like regular Viagra, LSA was intended to treat men with erectile dysfunction. It was also supposed to help prevent prostate cancer.
The following year, Big Pharma introduced a generic version of Viagra called Sildenafil. This new drug was practically identical to the original and had the same effect as LSA in that it could treat erectile dysfunction and possibly prevent prostate cancer. But with one major difference: Sildenafil was much cheaper.
It’s important to note here that Sildenafil was also the official treatment for a condition called ‘congestive heart failure’ (CHF). What this means is that, as far back as 2001, doctors were prescribing this drug off-label for uses other than erectile dysfunction. Soon after its introduction, people started abusing Sildenafil for its ‘potential’ in treating other diseases. This is mainly because it’s so much more affordable than the original Viagra. Even though it may be prescribed to people with erectile dysfunction, it’s not difficult to get your hands on Sildenafil. Especially since many pharmacies will offer you a discount if you tell them you’re suffering from erectile dysfunction.
The Dark Side
If you’re reading this, I assume you’re either a fan of Justin Bieber or someone who knows one. If you’re not, you should probably start listening to music by this artist since we’re about to talk about some pretty crazy stuff. For those of you who are fans of the singer, you’ll know that he’s been in the news a lot lately for all the wrong reasons. Most notably, he’s been accused of rape by two different British models. The first time this happened, he was denied defense by a UK Judge. The second time around, he had the case dropped on a technicality. Naturally, this didn’t stop him from continuing to pop the question.
This isn’t the first time Bieber has been in trouble either. He was previously arrested for DUI and obstructing a police officer. Luckily for him, these charges were later dropped as well. Not only does Bieber have an incredible voice, but he also possesses a pretty strong background in music. His grandmother was a pianist and his mother studied music. This probably has something to do with why he got his very first guitar at the age of 10 and started playing music in school. At the age of 12, he began studying music performance at a prestigious university in Toronto.
The Dark Side (cont.)
Since then, he’s had a very successful music career. In fact, he’s risen to fame so quickly that he was practically signed to a record label before he’d ever even graduated high school. Unfortunately, fame came with a price. It seems that the more success he had, the more people wanted from him. This is because fame is synonymous with stardom in today’s world. It literally means you’re a big deal. Naturally, the more people think you’re a big deal, the more outrageous things you’ll be asked to do. Especially if you’re a celebrity of any kind. This was made very clear when he was invited to participate in the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. He was asked to sing a song with Lady Gaga and Donnell Jones, who was the winner of the award for ‘Top Billboard 200 Album’.
If this was something normal, it would be one thing. But this was no ordinary request. To make matters worse, he was requested to sing a duet with someone he’s never even sung with before. Naturally, this wasn’t his most flattering look. He ended up wearing a black suit with yellow stripes on the shoulders and a yellow tie. For someone who’s been accused of raping two separate women, this was an odd choice. No suit would’ve been appropriate. This was especially so since he wasn’t wearing an actual tie. As you’ll see in the video, he used his tie to cover the buttons on his shirt, which is what the correct behavior would be. This isn’t the only time he’s been photographed in questionable clothing. He’s also been seen in a t-shirt with a horse head on it and a dog’s head with arms. Naturally, the photos of him in these outfits never made it to print.
DUI And A DUI
Even though he’s always been in trouble with the law, Bieber has managed to stay out of prison. And for the most part, he’s been able to keep his criminal record clean. This is mainly because he continues to plead ‘not guilty’ in all of his cases. But what does this ‘not guilty’ mean? It means that he’s claimed he didn’t do something he was accused of doing. But that doesn’t mean he’s actually innocent. It just means he doesn’t want to admit to the crime.
This kind of plea is often used by those who are accused of DUI. A DUI is an ‘alcohol related’ crime. Depending on the state, it can be either a misdemeanor or felony, with the latter being more serious. Due to the nature of the crime, a lot of people who plead guilty to a DUI end up serving some time in prison. But this is usually only for a few hours a day while they’re waiting for their release. The alternative is probation, which involves some level of community service, alcohol counseling, and/or vehicle immobilization. If they’re lucky, the Judge will even offer them a discount on their driving license. This is because DUI is often seen as a minor crime, which results in low insurance premiums and discounted driver’s licenses for those who plead guilty to it. If this happens, his criminal record will be clear and he’ll be able to maintain his clean record.
The Evolution Of A Superstar
It’s been 15 years since Bieber was first accused of rape. As you may have guessed, the world has changed a lot since then. The way people think about and view sexual assault and other crimes has shifted significantly. If anything, society is even more demanding than it was back then. People want their entertainment to reflect their values, and it seems that Justin Bieber isn’t doing enough to live up to expectations. This is why many are so quick to accuse him of wrongdoing. Especially since he seems to be doing and saying the wrong things at the wrong time.
For example, recently he was photographed arriving at a pool party in a bikini that exposed his upper thigh. What was originally seen as a flattering look is now being interpreted as a blatant display of his body. Especially since he posed with two female friends who weren’t wearing a thing. Even though the photos were taken several years ago, they’ve ended up being among the least flattering of his entire career. This is probably because he’s trying to evolve as a superstar. Trying to be the best version of himself. However, this may be hard to do if people are constantly comparing you to the “good old days.’”