Michael Jackson: Homicide or Suicide

Prescription drug addiction is the illegal use of drug normally prescribed by a doctor. In some situation the drugs are obtained by “doctor shopping”, where a person goes from doctor to doctor trying to get as many prescriptions as possible.

In the case of Michael Jackson, a person with limitless resources and millions of adoring fans, it was even easier for him to obtain these prescriptions.  Those close to Michael paint a picture which shows that Michael depended on others to feed his habit.

Recent reports show that Michael Jackson had as many as 12 doctors he could go to fulfill his prescription drug addiction. Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician who administered the drugs that eventually killed Michael Jackson, should have discontinued administering the drugs hours before, but he didn’t. He is currently being investigated for manslaughter, but the question remains: had he stopped administering the drug propofol, an intravenously administered hypnotic agent whose use as a general anaesthetic normally is restricted to hospital settings, on top of tabs of Valium and injections of Lorazepam and Midazolam, would this have saved Michael Jackson’s life?

“No one will know the answer,” comments Mary Rieser, Executive Director for the Atlanta Recovery Center, “but we do know what did happen: Dr. Murray, apparently against common sense, continued to supply his client with a lethal cocktail of prescription drugs, which eventually caused his client’s death. Had he simply stopped, Mr. Jackson, in his drug-craved state, would have done what millions of Americans have done and are doing: find another doctor who would give him the prescription drugs he craved.

“Whereas bartenders know when the ‘cut-off’ point is in their drunk clients, apparently doctors have no such qualms and Mr. Jackson could be accused of unknowing (because of his drugged state) suicide.

“The issue here isn’t whether Michael Jackson forced others to give him the drugs that killed him, or that one doctor simply gave in and gave them to him. The point is that nobody, not doctors, not friends, not bodyguards, nobody stepped in and said ‘enough’. Nobody took Michael Jackson to an effective drug rehab so that he could get well. Nobody stepped in and intervened.”

In an article in the Huffington Press, Chopra in part blames Jackson’s dependence on these drugs on medical colleagues who failed to realize Jackson’s growing addiction could lead to his death.

Prescription drug addiction is on the rise across the United States.  Emergency rooms are seeing a rise in accidental overdoses stemming from prescription drugs abuse.

Intense marketing and a resultant 150% rise in the numbers of prescriptions written has resulted in a growing number of people addicted to prescription drugs.

More than 15 million Americans abuse controlled substances—double the amount from a decade ago, according to a report issued by CASA.  This represents a clear problem for America because there is virtually no increase in drug treatment available.

If you know that someone is having problems with prescriptio drugs, get them help. Now, before its too late.