Nyquil Abuse

The trend of misusing over-the-counter medicines to get high continues, but it can be deadly.

It’s a dangerous trend: Individuals (usually young people) have found that they don’t need to score illegal drugs to get high. They can simply misuse over-the-counter medicines for the same purpose. Unfortunately, this can be just as dangerous as using other drugs.

Johnson & Johnson heiress Casey Johnson’s official autopsy report cites “possible excess use of Nyquil” in addition to other issues. She was only 30 when she passed away in early January 2010, and she had some known health problems, including diabetes. Still, the well-known party girl, often linked to tabloid regular Tila Tequila, might have prevented her death if she had just taken better care of herself.

The Los Angeles coroner recently confirmed that Johnson’s cause of death was “diabetes-related complications,” specifically “diabetic ketoacidosis,” which is caused by a lack of insulin.

According to the just-released official autopsy report:
• Casey’s body was free from injury of any kind.
• Multiple medications found at the scene included Motrin, insulin and clonazepam
• The report cites a “possible excess use of Nyquil”
• No illegal drugs were found in Johnson’s system

While Johnson’s body lay undiscovered in her home for several days, the autopsy results seem to suggest that her death was preventable.

Drug Addiction Treatment

If you or someone you love is battling an addiction, call The Oaks at La Paloma at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.