A NYC medical examiner has reported that Philip Seymour Hoffman died from a lethal mix of several different drugs, including heroin and cocaine. The ME listed the official cause of death as an “acute mixed drug intoxication.” TMZ is reporting that the exact drugs in the system of the Academy Award-winning actor were a mixture of heroin, cocaine, benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety meds), and amphetamines (“uppers,” like Adderall).
This situation is incredibly tragic, and the tragedy is only compounded by the fact that Hoffman was one of the most talented actors of our time. What I find strange is that the ME didn’t come right out and say that his death was accidental. Suicide was thrown around briefly in the days right after his death, and while it’s not explicitly stated, it may be possible that Hoffman was reckless with his partying because he didn’t want to live.
It seems that any experienced drug user would know not to mix that many different drugs and how potentially dangerous in could be if he or she did. The cocktail that Hoffman took is known as “speedballing” and it’s the reason talents like River Phoenix, Chris Farley, and John Belushi are no longer with us.
Armed with this knowledge, you’d think that he’d have exercised some caution while partying. Regardless of the nature surrounding his death, the fact still remains that this was major tragedy for both the movie industry and Hoffman’s family. It’s often said that the most talented of people are always the most tortured. We here at CDL can only hope that he’s at peace, and we thank him for his incomparable artistic contributions.
Image credit to FameFlynet
