Prince Died of Accidental Overdose of Fentanyl

CNN

TexToxicology tests for Prince concluded that the entertainer died from an accidental overdose of the opioid fentanyl, according to a report on his death by the Midwest Medical Examiner's Office.

The investigation will continue to determine if he had a prescription, from whom and if not, how he was obtaining it.

Federal prosecutors and the Drug Enforcement Administration are investigating how Prince obtained prescription medications and from whom

Prince was self administering Fentanyl patches.

The investigation into his death is a criminal investigation.

I have a problem with, if you put it in your mouth - - its accidental.

I'm pretty much over this kind of stuff. Don't care who it is.

a reply to: Annee

These were patches. I am not sure if that makes a difference. It is accidental, I think, because they determined he wasn't attempting suicide.

For the curious

en.wikipedia.org...

Fentanyl (also known as fentanil, brand names Sublimaze,[6] Actiq, Durogesic, Duragesic, Fentora, Matrifen, Haldid, Onsolis,[7] Instanyl,[8] Abstral,[9] Lazanda[10] and others[11]) is a potent, synthetic opioid analgesic with a rapid onset and short duration of action.[12] It is a strong agonist at the μ-opioid receptors. Fentanyl is approximately 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine and roughly 40 to 50 times more potent than pharmaceutical grade (100% pure) heroin.[13][14]

Holy crap. That is some strong stuff.
Prince must of been in a ton of pain to be taking this stuff.

Fentanyl transdermal patch (Durogesic/Duragesic) is used in chronic pain management. The patches work by slowly releasing fentanyl through the skin into the bloodstream over 48 to 72 hours, allowing for long-lasting pain management.[25] Dosage is based on the size of the patch, since, in general, the transdermal absorption rate is constant at a constant skin temperature.[25] Rate of absorption is dependent on a number of factors. Body temperature, skin type, amount of body fat, and placement of the patch can have major effects. The different delivery systems used by different makers will also affect individual rates of absorption. Under normal circumstances, the patch will reach its full effect within 12 to 24 hours; thus, fentanyl patches are often prescribed with a fast-acting opiate (such as morphine or oxycodone) to handle breakthrough pain.[

a reply to: grey580

I was once given 2 patches after a surgery. They are strong. I think he built up a tolerance.

Or was he murdered and this used to Cover it.. Making it look 'accidental'

Just kidding.. After all this is a conspiracy site

there does seem to be a trend to these celebs dying through overdoses of prescription drugs, don't really hear of it anywhere else.
Also I thought Prince was quite a clean living fellow..

Yeah, fentanyl patches are no joke.

It also comes in a lollipop and a thin film you can put under your tongue. It's short acting and insanely powerful, so if you are playing self-doctor, it's not impossible to take to much on accident.

originally posted by: Misterlondon
Or was he murdered and this used to Cover it.. Making it look 'accidental'

Just kidding.. After all this is a conspiracy site

there does seem to be a trend to these celebs dying through overdoses of prescription drugs, don't really hear of it anywhere else.
Also I thought Prince was quite a clean living fellow..

It is actually an epidemic. People prescribed pill pain killers turned to stronger things when they were taken away under tighter guidelines. A family member stated that Prince may have been dependent on Percocet in the past. Possibly his choice was to change to fentanyl instead of heroin.

Pill pain killer overdoses have gone down while overdoses of stronger, non prescribed drugs go up.

He apparently had persistent hip and ankle pain, including a replacement.

You can be clean living and still be taking pain medication for chronic and serious pain issues. If he had been ill and lost enough weight, it could have affected how his body reacted to the dose. If you are in enough pain and time your doses wrong and play fast and loose with them on top of it ... Get confused and you forget when the last dose was ...

originally posted by: grey580

Prince must of been in a ton of pain to be taking this stuff.

I don't know how much pain he was actually in, but he no doubt was addicted.

My cousin overdosed on Fentanyl at age 21. I guess heroin dealers have found that they can cut their dope with it to make it seem way stronger, with deadly consequences.

It's unfortunate that the opiate crisis is getting worse and worse, not better.

God damn am I glad i don't poke myself or use that crap anymore...

originally posted by: reldra
a reply to: Annee

These were patches. I am not sure if that makes a difference. It is accidental, I think, because they determined he wasn't attempting suicide.

I don't know. Just pretty much over this kind of thing.

There are issues within my own family as well. Not my immediate family, but within the family.

a reply to: reldra
prescription drugs make me nervous any way, and so do doctors.

RIP Prince, enjoy the music you made.

originally posted by: Annee
I have a problem with, if you put it in your mouth - - its accidental.

I'm pretty much over this kind of stuff. Don't care who it is.

Yeah, at best it's a calculated risk. You need to know there is a variable threshold between being happy and high and being dead, and if you're not careful, or unlucky, you'll end up on the wrong side of that threshold. You also need to know that your decision-making and risk-aversion may be affected by the substance you're using. Anyone using such substances knows this, though many choose to ignore it.

That said, I'm not entirely sold on Prince being the one who OD'd himself, and feel there may have been conspiracy afoot. The whole QE2 (not quantitative easing) 90th Birthday sacrifice thing as well as the "music industry" angle after he obtained the rights to his work both ring as "potential" (not highly likely, just potential) scenarios which could have led to his demise.

originally posted by: dogstar23

originally posted by: Annee
I have a problem with, if you put it in your mouth - - its accidental.

I'm pretty much over this kind of stuff. Don't care who it is.

Yeah, at best it's a calculated risk. You need to know there is a variable threshold between being happy and high and being dead, and if you're not careful, or unlucky, you'll end up on the wrong side of that threshold. You also need to know that your decision-making and risk-aversion may be affected by the substance you're using. Anyone using such substances knows this, though many choose to ignore it.

Yes, I am in chronic pain all the time caused by a birth defect that went un-diagnosed.

I only take aspirin if I really can't deal with it. I used to drink. Stopped that because I saw the dangers in that behavior.

I thought Prince's death was a hoax. That's what I read on ATS, so it must be true!

a reply to: reldra
Thanks for posting the results.

I tend to agree with Annee. It isn't like Prince slipped on a Fentanyl patch that was lying on the floor and broke his skull open. He was an addict and he was using Fentanyl. He needed to because he was addicted. It is a shame that no one interceded and got him the treatment that he could have easily afforded.

I guess the authorities like to say the it was 'accidental' to make it clear that he did not intend to cause his own death, but it still seems like the wrong way to word it for people like me that are not addicts.

originally posted by: reldra
a reply to: Annee

These were patches. I am not sure if that makes a difference. It is accidental, I think, because they determined he wasn't attempting suicide.

A lot of the people who abuse fentanyl will open up the patches and eat the gel inside. This will kill you.

a reply to: Annee

I used to drink. Stopped that because I saw the dangers in that behavior.

Kudos to you for having a strong will.
Pain is not easy to deal with.

a reply to: butcherguy

I agree and disagree.

If he was in bad chronic pain, he may well have been addicted. But was he taking the drugs to get high or was he taking them to stop the pain? If he was taking them to stop the pain, then he was taking them for their intended purpose. People can and do get addicted while using medications for their intended purpose as directed.

I very nearly become one of them. That I'm not has more to do with a personal quirk of my biology. Addiction for me manifested as more pain, so it was an easy loop to break. Most are not nearly as "lucky."

If he was simply looking to get high, then I have little sympathy. If he was taking his meds to stop pain and that was what they were for, addicted or not, what was he supposed to do?