List of deaths from drug overdose and intoxication
Appearance
The following is a list of notable people who have died from drug-related causes. Deaths caused by alcohol and caffeine are included.
A
- Herb Abrams - professional wrestling promoter, heart complications brought on by drug abuse.
- Nick Adams (36) - actor, drug overdose.
- David Allen Adkisson (25) - professional wrestler, death speculated upon as drugs overdose.
- Kerry Gene Adkisson (33) - professional wrestler, suicide, after arrest for cocaine possession and drug problems.
- Michael Brent Adkisson (23) - professional wrestler, suicide, overdosed on tranquilizers.
- Ryūnosuke Akutagawa (35) - writer, committed suicide by overdosing on barbiturates.
- Dennis Allen - infamous drug dealer, drug induced heart failure.
- GG Allin (36) - punk musician, heroin overdose.
- Bridgette Andersen (21) former child actress, alcohol and heroin overdose.
- Pier Angeli (39) Italian-born actress, died of anaphylactic shock after being given a tranquilizer by her doctor.
- Chris Antley - champion horse-racing jockey, drug-related causes.
- West Arkeen - musician, drug overdose.
- Howard Arkley - painter, drug overdose.
- Kevyn Aucoin - photographer & make-up artist, kidney and liver failure due to Tylenol toxicity, due to prescription painkillers addiction.
B
- Chet Baker (58) - jazz trumpeter and singer.
- Lucasio Bruhaha - Musician, died of WoW overdose. Ex US Navy Seal, possible computer hacker.
- John Balance (42) - musician, Coil, fell over a banister while drunk.
- Florence Ballard (32) - musician, The Supremes, cardiac arrest strongly exacerbated by long-term drug abuse.
- Lester Bangs (33) - musician, writer, overdose of painkillers, possibly accidental.
- Jean-Michel Basquiat (27) - painter, heroin overdose.
- Scotty Beckett (38) - American former child actor, suicide, barbiturate overdose.
- Bix Beiderbecke (28) - jazz musician, alcoholism.
- Steve Bechler - Major League Baseball pitcher, after using the drug ephedra.
- John Belushi (33) - of the Blues Brothers, actor, and comedian, heroin and cocaine overdose (speedball).
- Bunny Berigan (33) - musician, trumpet, liver cirrhosis from alcoholism.
- Wes Berggren - musician, Tripping Daisy.
- George Best (59) - ex-footballer with Manchester United, multiple organ failure exacerbated by chronic long-standing alcoholism.
- Leah Betts (18) - schoolgirl, ecstasy related.
- Len Bias (22) - basketball star; died of cocaine overdose before ever playing in the NBA.
- Dave Bidwell - musician, the Pink Fairies, Chicken Shack, Savoy Brown, Mungo Jerry.
- Bam Bam Bigelow (45) - professional wrestler, toxic levels of cocaine and benzodiazepine.
- Count Gottfried von Bismarck (44) - Aristocrat, suspected drug overdose.
- Matty Blagg (real name Matthew Roberts) - musician, Blaggers I.T.A., heart attack due to ketamine / ecstacy OD.
- Mike Bloomfield (36) - blues guitarist, heroin overdose.
- Tommy Bolin (25) - musician, Deep Purple, drugs overdose and/or alcohol poisoning.
- John Bonham (32) - musician Led Zeppelin, alcohol related asphyxiation caused by choking on his own vomit.
- James Booker (44) - musician, liver failure.
- Christopher Bowman (40) - former professional ice skater, possible prescription drug overdose.
- Elisa Bridges (29) - model, acute intoxication - combined effects of heroin, methamphetamine, meperidine and Alprazolam.
- Erik Brødreskift (30) - musician, Borknagar,Gorgoroth,and Immortal, suicide - pill overdose.
- Herman Brood (55) - musician, suicide after long-term substance abuse issues.
- Dennis Brown (42) - musician, Reggae singer, believed to be AIDS related but strong rumours of chronic drug abuse.
- Lenny Bruce (40) - comedian, morphine overdose.
- Rob Buck (42) - musician, 10,000 Maniacs, liver disease.
- Tim Buckley (28) - rock and roll musician, heroin overdose.
- Chad Butler (aka "Pimp C") - rap musician, accidental overdose of Promethazine/Codeine "syrup" mixed with a pre-existing medical condition, sleep apnea[1][2].
- Paul Butterfield (44) - musician, drug and alcohol overdose.
C
- Andrés Caicedo (25) - writer, drugs overdose (suicide).
- Toy Caldwell - musician, Marshall Tucker Band.
- Casey Calvert - guitarist of Hawthorne Heights, accidental drug overdose through mixture of medications.
- Ken Caminiti (41) - former Major League Baseball player; acute cocaine and opiates intoxication.
- Skip Candelori - musician, Turning Point.
- Max Cantor - journalist, actor, heroin overdose, he became an addict while researching addicts in New York.
- Truman Capote (59) - writer, liver disease complicated by phlebitis and multiple drug intoxication.
- Gia Carangi - supermodel, heroin abuse led to a death from AIDS.
- Leroy Carr - blues musician, cirrhosis of the liver as a result of alcoholism.
- Gene Clark (46) - musician, the Byrds, bleeding ulcer due to long term alcohol abuse.
- Sonny Clark - musician, hard bop pianist, heroin overdose.
- Steve Clark (30) - musician, Def Leppard, accidential death (anti-depressants, painkillers and alcohol).
- Michael Clarke (47) - musician, the Byrds, liver failure due to long term alcoholism.
- Will Clay - musician, The Toys.
- Montgomery Clift - actor, heart attack due to severe alcoholism and drug abuse.
- Kurt Cobain - musician, Nirvana, herion overdose and a shotgun wound in head. Also theories for murder.
- Natasha Collins (31) - actress - cocaine overdose.
- Brian Cole - musician, the Association, heroin overdose.
- Brian Connolly - musician, Sweet, liver damage caused by long-term substance abuse and chronic alcoholism.
- Megan Connolly (27) - actress, heroin overdose.
- Pamela Courson - common law wife of Jim Morrison of The Doors, heroin overdose.
- Cowboy (real name Keith Wiggins) - musician, Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, drug overdose.
- Carl Crack (30) - musician, Atari Teenage Riot, drug overdose.
- Darby Crash (22) - punk musician, of The Germs, suicide by heroin overdose.
- Robbin Crosby (42) - musician, ex-Ratt, contracted HIV as a result of long-time heroin addiction and died of a heroin overdose.
D
- Dalida (54) - singer, suicide, barbiturates overdose (sleeping pills).
- Dorothy Dandridge (42) - actress, singer, anti-depressant overdose.
- Eileen Davies - alternative rock singer/ songwriter, heroin overdose.
- Jesse Ed Davis (43) - guitarist, session musician, drug overdose.
- Paul Demayo (38) - professional bodybuilder, heroin overdose.
- Ted Demme (38) - film director, heart attack, small amount of cocaine taken may have contributed.
- Rick Dey - musician, the Vejtables, February Sunshine, the Wilde Knights and the Merry-Go-Round.
- Dimwit - musician, D.O.A., drug overdose.
- Teri Diver (29) - pornographic actress, cardiac arrest caused by overdose of migraine medication.
- Kiki Djan - musician, Osibisa, drug addiction and AIDS.
- DJ Screw (29) - musician, heart attack thought to be result of codeine overdose.
- Desmond Donnelly (53) - politician/ businessman/ journalist, suicide under influence of alcohol/ overdose of barbiturates.
- Tommy Dorsey (51) - jazz musician and bandleader, choked to death while sleeping with the aid of drugs.
- John Dougherty - musician, Flipper, heroin overdose.
- Eric Douglas - stand-up comedian, "acute intoxication" by the effects of alcohol, tranquilizers and painkillers.
- Nick Drake (26) - musician, anti-depressant overdose, disputed suicide.
- Michael Dransfield (24) - poet, heroin overdose.
- Bobby Driscoll (31) - actor, heart failure, long term drug abuse.
- Kevin DuBrow (52) - rock vocalist, cocaine overdose.
- Bobby Duncum, Jr. - professional wrestler, prescription drug overdose.
- Anthony Durante - professional wrestler, drugs overdose.
E
- Jeanne Eagels (35) - actress, alcohol and/or heroin abuse.
- Tommy Edwards (47) - musician, linear notes for greatest hits album claim death due to alcoholism
- John Entwistle (57) - musician, bassist for the Who, died from heart failure brought upon by cocaine use.
- Brian Epstein (32) - Manager of The Beatles, drug overdose.
- Howie Epstein (47) - musician, ex-bassist with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, heroin overdose[3].
- Rick Evers - musician, drummer and songwriter, was married to Carole King, heroin overdose.
F
- Chris Farley (33) - comedian, cocaine and heroin overdose (speedball).
- Pete Farndon (31) - musician, the Pretenders, drowned/ heroin overdose.
- Rainer Werner Fassbinder - playwright, director, cocaine overdose (possible suicide).
- Brenda Fassie (39) - singer, cocaine overdose.
- W.C. Fields (67) - performer and actor, complications of alcoholism.
- Keith Ferguson - musician, the Fabulous Thunderbirds.
- Aaron Flahavan - professional football goalkeeper, died driving drunk in 2001.
- Althea Flynt - co-publisher of Hustler magazine, drowned after passing out after drug overdose.
- Zac Foley (31) - musician, EMF, heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, barbiturates and alcohol in bloodstream.
- Katy French (24) - supermodel and socialite, cocaine use.
- Sigmund Freud (83) - neurologist, long-term cocaine use, physician assisted morphine overdose.
G
- Rory Gallagher (47) - musician, Taste, died of pnemonia and a liver failure, caused by side effects of a combination of doctor-prescribed drugs.
- Paul Gardiner - musician, Tubeway Army, drug overdose.
- Judy Garland (47) - singer and actress, disputed drug overdose as cause of death.
- Lowell George (34) - musician, Little Feat, heart attack - habitual drug abuse probable cause.
- Andy Gibb (30) - singer, younger brother of the Bee Gees; cardiac damage strongly exacerbated by cocaine and alcohol abuse.
- Simon Gipps-Kent - actor, morphine poisoning, suspected drugs overdose.
- Candy Givens - musician, Zephyr, drowned in jacuzzi after passing out from a mix of alcohol and quaaludes.
- Trevor Goddard - former professional boxer turned actor, drugs overdose.
- Alexander Godunov (45) - actor, died of alcoholism.
- Dwayne Goettel (31) - musician, Skinny Puppy, heroin overdose.
- Paul Gonsalves (53) - jazz tenor saxophonist, Duke Ellington, narcotics overdose
- Lucy Grealy (39) - poet, presumed accidental drug overdose.
- Sean Greenway - indie musician, member of GOD, heroin overdose
- Gribouille (26) - singer, drugs overdose.
- Eddie Guerrero (38) - professional wrestler, previous drug use led to heart attack.
- Stacy Guess - musician, the Squirrel Nut Zippers, heroin overdose.
H
- Clinton Haines - noted computer hacker, heroin overdose on 21st birthday.
- Paul Hammond - musician, Atomic Rooster, drug overdose (suicide).
- Bobby Hatfield - musician, The Righteous Brothers, heart attack triggered by cocaine overdose.
- Tim Hardin - folk musician, heroin and morphine overdose.
- Brynn Hartman - wife and murderer of comedian Phil Hartman, suicide after cocaine and alcohol.
- Alex Harvey - musician,The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, liver damage caused by alcohol abuse.
- Phyllis Haver - actress, intentional barbiturate overdose
- James Hayden (29) - actor, heroin overdose.
- Joey Hawthorne - professional poker player, drug overdose.
- Eddie Hazel - musician, guitarist, of the P-funk collective, liver failure.
- Mitch Hedberg - comedian, multiple drug toxicity (cocaine and heroin).
- Helno (real name Noel Rota) - musician, Les Negresses Vertes, died trying to overcome serious drug addiction.
- Tim Hemensley - indie musician, member of GOD, heroin overdose
- Margaux Hemingway (41) - actress, disputed suicide, overdose of sedatives.
- Jimi Hendrix (27) - rock and roll musician, respiratory arrest caused by alcohol and barbiturate overdose and vomit inhalation.
- Curt Hennig - professional wrestler, cocaine overdose.
- Gregory Herbet - musician, Blood, Sweat & Tears.
- Gino Hernandez (28) - wrestler, cocaine overdose.
- Bob Hite - musician, Canned Heat, heart attack.
- Randy Jo Hobbs - musician.
- Abbie Hoffman - self-identified communo-anarchist, social and political activist in the United States, suicide by overdose of Phenobarbital pills
- El Duce Hoke - musician, drummer and singer in the Mentors, hit by train when alcohol intoxicated (disputed murder theories).
- Billie Holiday (44) - jazz singer died from cirrhosis of the liver attributed to longtime alcohol and heroin abuse.
- Hollywood Fats - musician, heroin overdose.
- Gary Holton (33) - actor, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, alcohol and morphine overdose.
- James Honeyman-Scott - musician, the Pretenders, cocaine overdose.
- Shannon Hoon (28) - musician, singer in Blind Melon, cocaine overdose.
- Howard Hughes (70) - aviator, engineer, industrialist, movie producer, playboy, liver failure - autopsy showed lethal amount of codeine and also valium in body.
- Gertrude Hullett - died of barbiturate overdose while being treated by suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams.
- Elizabeth Hulette (42) - professional wrestling manager, accidential drug medication/alcohol mixing.
- Harold Hunter (31) - professional skateboarder and actor, apparent cocaine overdose.
- Phyllis Hyman - singer, suicide involving pills.
J
- Julio Jaramillo (42) - singer, liver damage caused by alcohol.
- Steven Ronald "Stevo" Jensen - musician, The Vandals, prescription drug overdose.
- Joëlle, American born French singer, drug overdose.
- Anissa Jones (18) - actress (played "Buffy" on American TV series Family Affair), accidential overdose of cocaine, angel dust, Quaaludes and Seconal.
- Bethany Jones - photographer and makeup artist, complications of muscular dystrophy coupled with injection of methamphetamine.
- Brian Jones - musician, the Rolling Stones, drowned, very likely due to alcohol and barbiturate intoxication.
- Rob Jones (a.k.a. The Bass Thing) - musician - former bassist of The Wonder Stuff, heroin/cocaine/alcohol overdose.
- Russell Jones (a.k.a. Ol' Dirty Bastard) - hip hop musician, accidential overdose, cocaine and prescription painkiller[4].
- Janis Joplin (27) - rock and roll and blues musician, heroin overdose.
K
- John Kahn - musician, Jerry Garcia Band, complications of heart disease, heroin, cocaine, and antidepressants found in his body.
- Wells Kelly - musician, Orleans, heroin overdose.
- David Kennedy - fourth child of Robert F. Kennedy, cocaine and Demerol overdose.
- Jack Kerouac - writer/poet, complications due to alcoholism.
- Bernard Kettlewell - lepidopterist and medical doctor, drugs overdose.
- Dorothy Kilgallen, Irish-American journalist and television game show panelist, fatal combination of alcohol and Seconal, perhaps concurrent with a heart attack
- John Kordic - hockey player, died during struggle with police after cocaine overdose.
- Paul Kossoff - musician, Free, drug-related heart problems.
- Eddie Kurdziel - musician, Redd Kross, drug overdose.
L
- Alan Ladd (50) - actor, acute overdose of alcohol and sedatives, probable suicide [5].
- Arcadia Lake - pornographic actress, drug overdose.
- Barbara La Marr - actress, drug-related death in Hollywood.
- Karen Lancaume - pornographic actress, overdose of medication (suicide).
- Carole Landis - actress, overdose of barbiturates (suicide).
- Peter Laughner - musician, Pere Ubu, acute pancreatitis.
- Heath Ledger (28) - actor, accidental death Combined Drug Intoxication of various prescription drugs[6].
- Rudy Lewis - musician, the Drifters.
- Gerald Levert - R&B singer, son of O'Jays singer Eddie Levert - accidental combination of prescription medications.
- Frank X. Leyendecker - illustrator, drug overdose.
- Debbie Linden - glamour model & actress, heroin overdose.
- Ruan Lingyu - silent film actress, overdose of barbiturates.
- Eugene Lipscomb - American football player, heroin overdose.
- Mike Lockwood - professional wrestler, choked on his own vomit after overdose of painkillers and alcohol.
- Trinity Loren (real name: Joyce Evelyn McPherson) - porn star, model, and stripper, accidental overdose of prescription painkillers.
- Bela Lugosi (73) - actor, drug-related heart attack.
- Zoe Tamerlis Lund - former child musical prodigy turned model, actress, and writer, heart failure due to heroin use.
- Donyale Luna (34) - first notable African American supermodel & actress, drug overdose.
- Frankie Lymon - musician, doo wop singer, heroin overdose.
- Aaron Lynch - writer on memetics, opiate-based painkiller overdose (coroner ruled accidental death.)
- Phil Lynott (37) - musician, Thin Lizzy, health breakdown caused by a heroin overdose. (speedball.)
M
- Billy Mackenzie - musician, the Associates, overdosed on prescription drugs (suicide).
- Chris Mainwaring - Australian Footballer, alleged accidental overdose.
- Bibek Maitra - politician, drug overdose.
- Steve Marriott - musician, The Small Faces and Humble Pie, drug related fire.
- Sherri Martel - professional wrestler, accidental overdose with multiple drugs in her system, including high amounts of oxycodone.
- Billy Martin - Major League Baseball player and manager, alcohol-related auto accident.
- James McCallum Bronson - stepson of actor Charles Bronson, drug overdose.
- David McComb (36) - musician, The Triffids, heroin overdose.
- Jimmy McCulloch - musician with Wings, guitarist, heroin overdose.
- Ron "Pigpen" McKernan - musician, the Grateful Dead, gastrointestinal hemorrhage linked to alcohol abuse.
- Robbie McIntosh - musician, Average White Band, heroin overdose.
- Clyde McPhatter - singer.
- Aimee Semple McPherson - Canadian-born evangelist and media sensation in the 1920s and 1930s, overdose of prescription barbiturates.
- Jonathan Melvoin - touring keyboardist for the Smashing Pumpkins, heroin overdose.
- Big Maceo Merriweather (47) - blues pianist, chronic alcoholism
- Mighty Spoiler - calypso music singer, alcohol-related illness.
- Miss Christine - musician, The GTOs, heroin overdose.
- Amedeo Modigliani - painter, tubercular meningitis — exacerbated by poverty, overworking, and excessive use of alcohol and narcotics.
- Joëlle Mogensen - singer, drug overdose.
- Marilyn Monroe (36) - actress, overdose of sleeping pills.
- Ken Montgomery - musician, D.O.A.
- Keith Moon - musician, the Who, overdosed on anti-seizure medication prescribed for alcoholism.
- Edith Alice Morrell - died of morphine overdose while being treated by suspected serial killer John Bodkin Adams.
- Chester Morris - actor, drug overdose.
- Jim Morrison (27) - musician, The Doors, heart failure, alcohol abuse (cause and fact of death disputed).
- Billy Murcia - musician, the New York Dolls, accidental suffocation after drugs and alcohol.
- Brent Mydland - musician, keyboardist, of the Grateful Dead, cocaine/morphine overdose.
- Modest Mussorgsky - classical composer, alcohol.
N
- Delphine Neid - musician, The Nuns, drugs overdose.
- Joachim Nielsen (36) - rock musician in the band Jokke & Valentinerne, drug overdose
- Bradley Nowell (28) - musician, Sublime, heroin overdose.
- Jack Nance (53) - actor, alcohol addiction.
O
- Hugh O'Connor - actor, of In the Heat of the Night TV series, suicide under influence of cocaine.
- Lani O'Grady - actress, of Eight Is Enough - multiple drug intoxication.
- Johnny O'Keefe - musician/ singer, heart attack after prescription drugs addiction.
- Christina Onassis - daughter of the billionaire Aristotle Onassis, pulmonary edema, caused by constant drug abuse and dramatic weight changes.
- Charlie Ondras - musician, Unsane.
- Bryan Ottoson - musician, American Head Charge, accidental prescription-drug overdose.
- Malcolm Owen - singer, lyricist of the Ruts, heroin overdose.
P
- John Panozzo (47) - musician, drummer, Styx, complications of alcohol abuse.
- Marco Pantani (34) - cyclist, Tour de France winner; acute cocaine intoxication.
- Charlie Parker (34) - jazz musician; the official cause of death was (lobar) pneumonia and a bleeding ulcer, his death was hastened by his drug and alcohol abuse
- Robert Pastorelli (49) - television actor, heroin overdose.
- Gram Parsons (26) - country musician, of the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers, overdose, purportedly of morphine and tequila.
- Jon-Jon Paulos - musician, the Buckinghams.
- Chris Penn (40) - actor (Reservoir Dogs), brother of Sean Penn, heart disease and prescription drugs.
- Art Pepper (56) - jazz musician.
- Chris Pettiet (24) - actor, accidential drug overdose.
- Jack Pickford (36) - actor, syphilis & alcohol and drug abuse.
- Kristen Pfaff (27) - musician, ex-member of Hole, heroin overdose.
- Esther Phillips (48) - musician, singer, liver and kidney failure due to alcohol and heroin dependency.
- John Phillips (65) - musician, of the Mamas and the Papas, heart failure due to lifetime of alcohol and narcotics abuse.
- River Phoenix (23) - actor, overdose of heroin and cocaine (speedball).
- Jeffrey Lee Pierce (37) - musician, the Gun Club.
- Rob Pilatus (32) - musician, Milli Vanilli, drug overdose.
- Dana Plato (34) - actress, of Diff'rent Strokes, suicide - overdose of Vanadom and Vicodin.
- Jackson Pollock (44) - painter; killed in a single-car accident while driving drunk.
- Darrell Porter (50) - professional baseball pitcher turned broadcaster, cocaine overdose.
- Elvis Presley (42) - singer, heart attack brought on by overdose of barbiturates.
- Freddie Prinze (22) - comic, actor (Chico and the Man), self-inflicted gunshot wound while under the influence of Quaaludes.
Q
- Robert Quine - musician, suicide by heroin overdose.
- Glenn Quinn - actor, heroin overdose.
R
- Carl Radle (37) - bass guitarist, Derek and the Dominos, Eric Clapton, kidney disease due to long term narcotics and alcohol abuse
- Dee Dee Ramone (50) - musician, the Ramones, heroin overdose.
- James Ray - singer, drug overdose.
- Johnnie Ray (63) - musician, liver failure caused by alcoholism.
- Michael Reeves - film director, barbiturate overdose.
- Wallace Reid (31) - actor, flu caused by morphine addiction.
- Jimmy Reilly (17) - musician, Watertower West and Tony And The Tigers, heroin and alcohol overdose.
- Elis Regina (36) - singer, drug interaction.
- Brad Renfro (25) - actor, overdose of heroin and morphine[7].
- Rob Graves Ritter - musician, Thelonius Monster, Gun Club, the Bags, 45 Grave.
- Rachel Roberts (53) - actress - barbiturate overdose (suicide).
- Andy Rogers - musician, bassist with Johnny Cash, heroin overdose.
- Don Rogers (23) - American football player, cocaine overdose.
- Peter Rosen - musician, War.
- Alma Rubens - actress, flu caused by heroin addiction.
- Michael Rudetsky - musician, keyboardist, Culture Club, heroin overdose.
- David Ruffin (50) - musician, the Temptations, drug overdose.
S
- George Sanders - actor, barbiturates overdose (suicide).
- Catya Sassoon (33) - model and actress, overdose of hydromorphone and cocaine.
- Joe Schermie - musician, Three Dog Night, heart attack resulting from long-term drug abuse
- Bon Scott (33) - musician, AC/DC, aspiration brought on by alcohol intoxication.
- Ronnie Scott (69) - jazz tenor saxophonist and jazz-club owner, died accidentally from a mixture of brandy and prescription sleeping tablets.
- Jean Seberg - actress, barbiturate and alcohol overdose (suicide).
- Jason Sears - musician, Rich Kids on LSD, treatment with natural drugs.
- Rod Scurry (36) - Major League Baseball relief pitcher, cocaine-induced heart attack.
- Edie Sedgwick - actress.
- Nerine Shatner - wife of actor William Shatner, drowned in swimming pool while intoxicated and with traces of valium in bloodstream.
- Will Shatter - musician, Fliper, heroin overdose.
- Bobby Sheehan - musician, Blues Traveler, drug overdose.
- Eric Show - baseball player, cocaine and heroin overdose (speedball).
- Pavlos Sidiropoulos - rock musician, heroin overdose.
- Judee Sill - folk musician, heroin overdose.
- Don Simpson - film producer, heart attack, reports of 20 drugs in his body at time of death.
- Hillel Slovak (26) - musician, Red Hot Chili Peppers, heroin overdose.
- Anna Nicole Smith (39) - Playboy playmate, actress, reality show star, lethal combination of chloral hydrate and various benzodiazepines.
- Davey Boy Smith (39) - professional wrestler, heart attack - steroid abuse may have contributed.
- Robert "Snoopy" Smith (46) - Saxophonist and husband of jazz and blues singer, Fritzi Presley, died in Biloxi, MS of heart attack after a lifetime of alcohol abuse.
- Freddy Soto - comedian, writer and actor, mixture of alcohol, Xanax® and fentanyl.
- Epic Soundtracks - musician, Swell Maps.
- Louie Spicolli - professional wrestler, choked on vomit after drugs and alcohol overdose.
- Layne Staley (34) - musician, Alice in Chains, cocaine and heroin overdose (speedball).
- Joey Stefano (26) - pornographic actor, overdose of cocaine, morphine, heroin and ketamine.
- Inger Stevens - actress, suicide - overdose of sleeping pills.
- Rory Storm - musician, suicide - sleeping pills overdose.
- Margaret Sullavan (48) - actress, deliberate barbiturate overdose.
- Paige Summers - pornographic model & actress, a drug overdose from a combination of the painkillers codeine and oxycodone.[8]
- Screaming Lord Sutch - singer and politician, suicide following Prozac overdose.
T
- Zoë Tamerlis Lund - musician turned model, heart failure after sustained heroin and cocaine abuse.
- Warren Tartaglia (Walid al-Taha) - jazz musician & one of six founders of Moorish Orthodox Church of America, heroin overdose.
- Chase Tatum (34) former wrestler for the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling organization, apparent drug overdose.
- Vinnie Taylor - musician, Sha Na Na, heroin overdose.
- Gary Thain - musician, Uriah Heep, drug overdose.
- Jason Thirsk (28) - musician, Pennywise, suicide after depression and alcoholism treatment.
- Jotie T'Hooft - poet, drug overdose, suicide.
- Johnny Thunders - musician, the New York Dolls, alcohol and methadone poisoning.
- Dylan Thomas - poet, chronic alcoholism.
- John Thompson - poet, "a brutal mix of barbiturates and liquor."
- Georg Trakl - playwright, cocaine overdose.
- D. M. Turner (34) - author/psychonaut, drowned in a bathtub while on ketamine.
- Ike Turner (76) - musician/producer, died from cocaine overdose with high blood pressure and emphysema as contributing factors[9].
- Dick Twardzik - bebop jazz pianist, heroin overdose.
U
- Stu Ungar (45) - Three-time World Series of Poker Main Event winner, heart condition caused by long-term cocaine abuse.
- Enrique Urquijo - singer, drug overdose.
V
- Paul Vaessen - former professional footballer with Arsenal, post mortem found he had a high level of drugs in his bloodstream.
- Lupe Vélez - actress, secobarbital overdose (suicide).
- Michael VerMeulen - magazine editor, drug overdose.
- Sid Vicious (21) - musician, the Sex Pistols, heroin overdose, disputed suicide
- Gene Vincent - rock and roll musician, liver damage caused by alcohol.
W
- Robert Hudson Walker - actor, died suddenly after being administered sodium amytal by his doctor.
- Shelby Walker (31) - female boxer and Martial arts fighter, apparent medicine overdose.
- Jeremy Michael Ward - musician, The Mars Volta, apparent heroin overdose.
- Dinah Washington - musician, singer, overdose of diet pills and alcohol .
- Michael Weber - lead guitarist of The Seminal Rats, heroin overdose.
- Rachel Whitear - student, heroin overdose led to large-scale anti-drugs press campaign in Britain.
- Brett Whiteley - artist, heroin overdose.
- Kurt Winter - guitarist with The Guess Who, kidney failure after sustained drug abuse
- Chris Whitley (45) - guitarist, songwriter, complications from lung cancer caused by excessive cigarette smoking
- Keith Whitley (33) - country musician, alcohol poisoning.
- Danny Whitten - musician, Crazy Horse, drug overdose or drugs with alcohol (disputed).
- Dale Whittington - racecar driver, drug overdose.
- Alan Wilson - musician, Canned Heat, drug overdose (possible suicide).
- Dennis Wilson (39) - musician, The Beach Boys, alcohol-related drowning
- Hank Williams (29) - musician, drugs and probably alcohol.
- Kenneth Williams (62) - actor, author and comedian of Carry On fame, overdose of barbiturates (accidental or suicide).
- Linda Wong - pornographic actress, overdose on Xanax, chlorlhydrate and alcohol.
- Andrew Wood - musician, lead singer Mother Love Bone, Malfunkshun, heroin overdose.
- Anna Wood (15) - Australian schoolgirl, cerebral edema, caused by water intoxication and resultant hyponatremia after taking ecstasy.
- Natalie Wood - actress, drowned when intoxicated.
X
Y
- Paula Yates (40) - British TV presenter & author, partner of deceased INXS star, Michael Hutchence, heroin overdose.
Z
- Stefan Zweig Austrian writer, suicide with his wife on exile in Brazil during WWII.
References
- ^ HHWorlds.com - Breaking News: Pimp C Death Attributed To Accidental Overdose
- ^ Cough syrup found in Pimp C's hotel had no label
- ^ "Petty bassist dies from 'overdose'". bbcnews.co.uk. February 26, 2003.
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(help) - ^ "Rapper ODB died of drug overdose". bbcnews.co.uk. December 15, 2004.
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(help) - ^ Shipman, David. The Great Movie Stars: The Golden Years. New York: Hill & Wang, 1979. ISBN 0-8090-5170-2
- ^ "Accidental drug mix killed Ledger". bbcnews.co.uk. February 6, 2008.
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(help) - ^ "Drug overdose killed actor Renfro". bbcnews.co.uk. February 9, 2008.
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(help) - ^ "Plane Crash Kills One, One Is Missing", by Nathan Brown, Morganton News Herald, August 30, 2005. Retrieved 23 May, 2007.
- ^ "'Drug overdose' killed Ike Turner". bbcnews.co.uk. January 17, 2008.
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