Weed Never Killed Anybody

Weed Never Killed Anybody

Scott Thill, Alternet Excerpt

Heath Ledger died from a cocktail of legal prescription drugs.

The mainstream media emphasized his love for cocaine and marijuana and ignored what really killed him.

The War on Drugs enforcement arm grabbed over 813,000 for pot violations, as the smokers rarely contribute to the Republican Party. The manufacturers of lethal prescription drugs fared considerably better.

Scott Thill:

“Last year was the latest in a series of banner years for Oxycontin, which kicked heroin and cocaine to the metaphorical curb to become one of the most popularly abused substances of the 21st century. Of course, it has been joined by painkillers like Vicodin, sleeping pills like Restoril, anti-anxiety poppers like Valium and Xanax, and even antihistamines like Unisom, all of which were found in Ledger's system during his autopsy. The official verdict, sent in written form by medical examiner spokeswoman Ellen Borakove, avoided marketing buzzwords in favor of designations more scientific, which is to say obscure: ‘Mr. Heath Ledger died as the result of acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine. We have concluded that the manner of death is accident, resulting from the abuse of prescription medications.’”