Drug-Related Deaths - Notable Celebrities

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The tragic loss of a renowned celebrity or athlete to a drug or alcohol-related death is an event that often leaves many unanswered questions. Famous and much-loved celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Heath Ledger have been the victims of such unfortunate circumstances.

While many deaths may be due to misuse of illegal substances, these drugs are not always illicit – and an overdose may not always be intentional.

Drug Interactions Can Be Deadly

Death due to drugs can also be the result of mixing prescribed medications with other drugs (legal or illegal), alcohol, over-the-counter medications or even herbal supplements.

Drug-drug interactions may also play a role in drug-related deaths. For example, the consumption of multiple central nervous system depressants, such as opioid pain killers, sedatives, hypnotics, or alcohol may lead to an unintentional overdose due to severely depressed breathing.

Mixing illicit, prescription or over-the-counter medications can be dangerous, and patients should always rule out drug interactions with their healthcare provider.

The use of prescription medications with illegal drugs or alcohol can produce an unpredictable and fatal response, and many deaths due to such circumstances may have been preventable.

The following table outlines the death of notable celebrities and athletes who have had drugs or alcohol implicated in their deaths.

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Name	Notable Fame	Cause of Death	Drug Category	When	Age
Mac Miller	American rapper, singer, and record producer	Accidental overdose of fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol	Prescription drugs and alcohol	2018	26
Verne Troyer	American actor (Mini-Me in the Austin Powers film series)	Suicide by alcohol poisoning	Alcohol	2018	49
Dolores O’Riordan	Irish musician, singer and songwriter (The Cranberries)	Accidental drowning due to alcohol intoxication	Alcohol	2018	46
Art Bell	American broadcaster and author	Accidental overdose from prescription drugs including oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, and carisoprodol	Prescription drugs	2018	72
Lil Peep	American rapper and singer	Overdose of fentanyl and Xanax	Prescription drugs	2017	21
Tom Petty	American singer and songwriter	Accidental overdose of prescription drugs including fentanyl and oxycodone	Prescription drugs	2017	66
Prince	American singer and songwriter	Accidental fentanyl overdose	Prescription drug	2016	57
Chyna	American professional wrestler	Accidental overdose of alcohol and prescription drugs including diazepam, oxycodone, oxymorphone, and temazepam	Prescription drugs and alcohol	2016	46
José Fernández	Cuban-American professional baseball pitcher (Miami Marlins)	Boating accident while under the influence of cocaine and alcohol	Illegal drug and alcohol	2016	24
Scott Weiland	American musician, singer and songwriter	Accidental overdose of cocaine, alcohol, and methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA)	Illegal drugs and alcohol	2015	48
Philip Seymour Hoffman	Actor	Acute mixed drug intoxication, including heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines and amphetamine	Mixed illegal and prescription drugs	2014	46
Joan Rivers	Actress	Therapeutic complication with propofol sedation	Prescription drugs	2014	81
Peaches Geldof	English columnist, television personality, and model	Heroin overdose	Illegal drug	2014	25
Cory Monteith	Actor (Glee) and singer	Toxic mix of heroin and alcohol	Illegal drug and alcohol	2013	31
Lisa Robin Kelly	Actress (That ’70s Show)	Multiple drug intoxication	Illegal drug	2013	43
Chris Kelly	Rapper (Kris Kross)	Fatal overdose, cocaine and heroin	Illegal drug	2013	34
Jeff Hanneman	Musician (Slayer)	Cirrhosis due to alcoholism	Alcohol	2013	49
Whitney Houston	American singer, actress	Drowning; complications of cocaine and heart disease; Flexeril, marijuana, Xanax and Benadryl also found in body but did not contribute to death	Illegal drug	2012	48
Michael Carl Baze	Horse jockey	Overdose; cocaine, oxymorphone (accidental)	Mixed illegal and prescription drugs	2011	24
Derek Boogaard	Canadian professional ice hockey player; left wing (New York Rangers)	Alcohol and oxycodone overdose (accidental)	Mixed alcohol and prescription drugs	2011	28
Amy Winehouse	English singer and songwriter	Fatal alcohol poisoning; alcoholism	Alcohol	2011	27
Erica Blasberg	American golfer (LPGA)	Asphyxia; multiple drug overdose: butalbital, temazepam, alprazolam, codeine, hydrocodone, and tramadol (suicide)	Prescription drugs	2010	25
Andy Irons	Surfer	Cardiac arrest complicated by mixed drug ingestion (cocaine, methamphetamine, alprazolam, methadone)	Mixed illegal and prescription drugs	2010	32
Edward Fatu “Umaga”	Samoan-American professional wrestler	Hydrocodone, carisoprodol, diazepam (accidental)	Prescription drug overdose	2009	36
Michael Jackson	American Pop Singer and icon	Cardiac arrest, acute propofol intoxication; midazolam, lidocaine, diazepam, lorazepam also noted in autopsy report	Prescription drugs	2009	50
Billy Mays	Spokesperson	Heart disease possibly complicated by cocaine use	Illegal drug	2009	51
Christopher Bowman	American figure skater	Drug overdose: cocaine, diazepam, cannabis, alcohol (accidental)	Mixed alcohol, illegal and prescription drugs	2008	40
Heath Ledger	Australian actor	Combined drug toxicity due to oxycodone, hydrocodone, alprazolam, diazepam, temazepam, doxylamine (accidental)	Prescription drug overdose	2008	28
Scott Charles (“Bam Bam”) Bigelow	American professional wrestler; World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW)	Multiple drug overdose: cocaine, temazepam (accidental), possibly worsened by heart disease	Mixed illegal and prescription drugs	2007	45
Chris Mainwaring	Australian Football Player	Cocaine overdose (accidental)	Illegal drug	2007	41
Anna Nicole Smith	American model, Playboy playmate, actress	Combined drug toxicity due to chloral hydrate and benzodiazepines (accidental)	Prescription drugs	2007	40
Ike Turner	Musician, bandleader, songwriter, producer	Cardiovascular, lung disease complicated by cocaine overdose (accidental)	Illegal drug	2007	76
George Best	Professional soccer player	Complications due to alcohol abuse, alcoholism	Alcohol	2005	59
Eddie Guerrero	Professional wrestler	Cardiomyopathy, heart disease, possibly due to anabolic steroid use	Anabolic steroids (speculated)	2005	38
Steven Scott Bechler	Major League baseball pitcher; Baltimore Orioles	Heat stroke exacerbated by ephedra	Alternative/herbal drug	2003	23
Anthony Durante	Professional wrestler	Oxycodone or fentanyl overdose (accidental)	Prescription drug overdose	2003	36
Howie Epstein	American bass guitarist (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)	Possible heroin overdose; also reportedly using prescription antibiotics	Illegal drug overdose	2003	47
Elisa Bridges	American model, actress	Drug overdose: heroin, methamphetamine, alprazolam, meperidine	Mixed illegal and prescription drugs	2002	28
Douglas Glenn Colvin, aka Dee Dee Ramone	American songwriter and musician (The Ramones)	Heroin overdose (accidental)	Illegal drug	2002	50
John Entwistle	English bass guitarist (The Who)	Heart attack induced by cocaine	Illegal drug	2002	58
Darrell Porter	American professional baseball player	Cocaine overdose (accident)	Illegal drug	2002	50
Christopher Wiley Antley	Horse jockey; 2-time Kentucky Derby winner	Overdose; (clobenzorex, paroxetine, methamphetamine, carbamazepine) and trauma (accidental)	Prescription drugs	2000	34
Chris Farley	Comedian, actor; Saturday Night Live sketch comedy TV show	Overdose; combination of morphine and cocaine; complicated by heart disease; fluoxetine also in system (accidental)	Illegal drugs	1997	33
Peter Jackson	Australian rugby player	Heroin overdose (suicide)	Illegal drug	1997	33
Margeaux Hemingway	American actress	Phenobarbital overdose; suicide	Prescription drug overdose	1996	42
Phyllis Hyman	American singer, songwriter and actress	Fatal overdose of pentobarbital and secobarbital (suicide)	Prescription drugs	1995	45
Kurt Cobain	American singer-songwriter and musician (Nirvana)	Gunshot wound to head; heroin and diazepam found in body (suicide)	Mixed illegal and prescription drugs	1994	27
River Phoenix	American actor	Heroin and cocaine overdose	Illegal drugs	1993	23
David Waymer	American football player, NFL	Heart attack, cocaine related	Illegal drug	1993	34
Paul Hayward	Professional Rugby League Player; Newton Jets (Australia)	Heroin overdose; contracted HIV in prison	Illegal drug overdose	1992	38
John Kordic	Professional hockey player	Lung failure complicated by unspecified drug overdose (possible anabolic steroid abuse)	unknown	1992	27
Abbie Hoffman	American Political activist	Phenobarbital overdose (suicide)	Prescription drug overdose	1989	52
Chet Baker	Jazz musician and singer, trumpet player, guitarist	Accidental fall from hotel window; cocaine, heroin	Illegal drugs	1988	59
David Croudip	American football defensive cornerback for the Atlanta Falcons	Cocaine overdose (accidental)	Illegal drug	1988	30
Len Bias	Boston Celtics second overall NBA draft pick (1986)	Cardiac arrhythmia induced by a cocaine overdose (accidental)	Illegal drug	1986	23
Don Rogers	Football safety in the National Football League (US), Cleveland Browns	Fatal cocaine overdose (accidental)	Illegal drug	1986	23
Richard Burton	Welsh-born actor	Cerebral hemorrhage; possible complications due to alcohol, alcoholism	Alcohol	1984	58
Truman Capote	American writer	Liver disease complicated by phlebitis, alcohol and multiple drug intoxication	Alcohol	1984	59
David Kennedy	Fourth son of Robert F. Kennedy; no profession	Overdose of cocaine, meperidine, thioridazine (controversial, some say he was murdered)	Mixed illegal and prescription drugs	1984	28
John Belushi	American actor; comedian; musician; Saturday Night Live comedy TV show	Speedball overdose; a combination of heroin and cocaine (accidental)	Illegal drugs	1982	33
Jon Bonham	English musician (drummer) and songwriter (Led Zeppelin)	Asphyxiation due to massive alcohol consumption	Alcohol	1980	32
John Simon Ritchie, aka Sid Vicious	Musician (Sex Pistols)	Heroin overdose (suicide)	Illegal drug	1979	21
Keith Moon	Drummer (The Who)	Clomethiazole overdose	Prescription drug	1978	32
Elvis Presley	American musician, singer, actor, cultural icon	Heart arrhythmia, possibly aggravated by multiple prescriptions (methaqualone, codeine, barbiturates, cocaine), speculated	Mixed illegal and prescription drugs, speculated	1977	42
Freddie Prinze	Actor	Self-inflicted gunshot; possibly under influence of methaqualone, cocaine (suicide)	Mixed illegal and prescription drugs, speculated	1977	22
Howard Hughes	American business tycoon, movie producer and director, aviator, engineer, investor	Kidney failure; possible complications due to chronic use of aspirin (high doses) and dehydration	Nonprescription drug (not confirmed)	1976	70
Bruce Lee	Martial artist, actor, film director, pop culture icon	Cerebral edema due to meprobramate, aspirin	Prescription drug overdose	1973	32
Jim Morrison	Musician, singer, songwriter (The Doors)	Heart failure; possible heroin or cocaine overdose (disputed)	Illegal drug	1971	27
Jimi Hendrix	American musician and singer-songwriter	Respiratory arrest, asphyxia due to alcohol and barbiturate overdose; vomit inhalation	Mixed alcohol and prescription drugs	1970	27
Janis Joplin	American musician	Heroin overdose	Illegal drug	1970	27
Judy Garland	American actress and singer	Barbiturate (Seconal) overdose; controversial if suicide or accident	Prescription drug overdose	1969	47
Brian Jones	Musician (The Rolling Stones)	Drowning due to alcohol and drug intoxication	unknown	1969	27
Jack Kerouac	Author	Cirrhosis of liver, internal bleeding due to alcohol use	Alcohol	1969	47
Brian Epstein	English businessman; manager (The Beatles)	Sedative overdose (accidental)	Prescription drug overdose	1967	32
Lenny Bruce	American comedian	Drug overdose: morphine (accidental)	Illegal drugs	1966	40
Eugene “Big Daddy” Lipscomb	Football defensive lineman in the National Football League (US), Pittsburgh Steelers; professional wrestler	Heroin overdose (accidental)	Illegal drug	1963	31
Marilyn Monroe	American actress, model, singer, sex symbol	Barbiturate overdose (suicide)	Prescription drug	1962	36
Billy Holiday	American jazz singer and songwriter	Cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol; alcoholism	Alcohol	1959	44
Joseph McCarthy	U.S. Senator	Hepatitis exacerbated by alcohol, alcoholism	Alcohol	1957	48
Tommy Dorsey	American jazz musician	Choked himself while sleeping; unable to awaken due to sedative use	Prescription drug overdose	1956	51
Hank Williams, Sr.	Country music singer-songwriter	Heart failure, possibly alcohol, drug-related (accidental)	Mixed alcohol and Illegal drugs (speculated)	1953	29
Sigmund Freud	Neurologist	Physician-assisted suicide; morphine	Prescription drug overdose	1939	83