Famous Families with a History of Drug Addiction

Published
ETONLINE

As Kevin McEnroe, son of Tatum O'Neal and John McEnroe, was busted for drugs this week, ET is looking at whether drug use in his famous family is a genetic trait.

Kevin, 28, was allegedly caught trying to buy six bags of cocaine, 20 painkillers, and 10 morphine pills. His life seemed to be on the right track - he's currently getting his master's degree at Columbia University - but could his parents' genes be to blame?

His father John admitted that he and Tatum were both high when they first had sex, and in 2008 Tatum was busted for trying to buy cocaine in New York City. Not to mention John's grandfather Ryan O'Neal and uncle Redmond were arrested in 2008 when authorities said they found methamphetamine at Ryan's house.

News anchor Jane Velez Mitchell, who struggled with alcohol, believes that addiction runs in families.

"I'd be shocked if he'd been able to avoid this pitfall, because of what he saw growing up," said Jane. "You do what you see your parents do."

The story of the drug-addled Hollywood kid is nothing new. Ozzy Osbourne's son Jack weighed in on the topic in 2005, saying, "Having the disease of addiction, it affects me the same way it will affect a crack head on the street, and it doesn't matter what you have or where you grew up. It affects everyone the same. It's going to bring everyone down."