DJ AM Spent Last Day on Crack, Pills

Medical records will be subpoenaed

(NEWSER) - The investigation into Whitney Houston's death is now turning to her doctors and pharmacies. Investigators are expected in the next few days to serve subpoenas on the singer's physicians and the pharmacies where Houston obtained multiple prescription drugs, reports the Los Angeles Times . Officials aim to determine whether the drugs were dispensed properly, and if the singer was receiving too many prescriptions, a source tells the newspaper. Investigators will likely pore over a state-created database of controlled substances prescribed in California. Tracking celebrity prescription drug use can be complicated because they may regularly use drugs prescribed to aides, according to law enforcement authorities. More»

Xanax, Ativan, Valium found in Whitney Houston's room

(NEWSER) - It will likely be weeks before we know the official cause of Whitney Houston's death, but the fact that bottles of Xanax, Valium, and Ativan were found in her room is shining a light on the dangers of prescription drug abuse, and the real risk of accidental overdose. An estimated 27,000 people died from accidental drug overdoses in the US in 2007, one death every 19 minutes, according to the most recent figures available from the CDC, reports ABC News . Prescription drug abuse is the nation's fastest growing drug problem. More»

Overdoses now leading cause of accidental death in Scioto County

(NEWSER) - Scioto County sits in the southern tip of Ohio, an unremarkable piece of Appalachia save for the deadly tidal wave of prescription drugs washing over its population. Overdoses have quadrupled over the past decade, reports the New York Times, and are now the leading cause of accidental death, ahead of even car crashes. One in 10 babies born here tests positive for drugs; the most popular among the area's addicts is OxyContin. “It was moving so fast that families were caught totally off guard," says a counselor. "They had no idea what they were dealing with.” More»

And they did coke with Jack Nicholson, he says

(NEWSER) - Robert Downey Jr.’s father started giving him drugs at the tender age of 8—and the actor once did cocaine with his dad and Jack Nicholson. The Iron Man 2 star recalls his history with drugs in a Rolling Stone interview: “All those years of snorting coke, and then I accidentally get involved in heroin after smoking crack for the first time. It finally tied my shoelaces together,” he says of his downward spiral. More»

What do Brooke Mueller and Amy Winehouse have in common?

(NEWSER) - Crack is not exactly the classiest of drugs, yet celebrities continue to get hooked on it. The Frisky rounds up 10 famous—alleged—celebrity crackheads:

• Brooke Mueller: Charlie Sheen’s wife entered rehab last week, reportedly for a crack habit.
• Whitney Houston: Admitted to Oprah she used crack while married to Bobby Brown.
• Amy Winehouse: Well, duh.