Daniel Smith: Accidental drug death

The death of Anna Nicole Smith‘s son Daniel was caused by a deadly combination of methadone, Zoloft and Lexapro, which led to an abnormality in the beating of his heart which ended in death, it was revealed this evening.

"In my opinion it’s an accidental death," the pathologist Cyril Wecht tells PEOPLE. He also stated that the methadone was being used as a "legitimate prescription drug for pain relief" – perhaps for the back injury Howard K. Stern discussed last evening.

Source: People

Thanks to CBB readers Michelle, Anna Maria, Rebecca, Tiffany and Deanna.

Comments

CBB Maybe you should put up a warning that Methadone is also used for treatment for chronic pain not only as a treatment for heroin. He could have been taking methadone for his back injury that he heard he had.

I think it’s horribly tragic. I hope nothing for the best for anna and her new baby girl.

- ericka on September 28th, 2006

oh haha nevermind you did!…sorry.

- ericka on September 28th, 2006

Daniels passing is so sad. Especially as it happened at a time that was to bring such joy. I loved the family photos that were released. Atleast he got to meet his new sister.

- Heavenly_Hibiscus on September 28th, 2006

What a sad and untimely passing. I hope that Anna Nicole, and Howard can move forward, knowing that Daniel at least met his baby sister, and was firmly loved for twenty years, by them.

- Jane on September 28th, 2006

That is awful. Yes Methadone IS USED for pain medication and ironically I saw the special 20/20 on it last week. The whole thing was about how doctors do not know how to prescribe it and many people TAKING IT TO TREAT PAIN SUCH AS BACK PAIN have suddenly died from it. I think that it needs to be taken off of the market ASAP! At least Anna can hopefully have some closure knowing what really happened. Again..it is very sad.

- Steph on September 28th, 2006

It is sad… he looked like such a sweet boy and no doubt adored by his mother. In a way it’s good she has the new baby to focus on, that must help a little… so sad…

- Emily G on September 28th, 2006

Drs. don’t usually prescribe methadone for pain, it’s way too powerful a drug for that. That drug is commonly used to help recovering HEROINE addicts. Why wasn’t he given Vicoden instead?????

- Lauren22 on September 28th, 2006

Shouldn’t a doctor or pharmacist have picked up on the fact that he was taking a dangerous combination of medications? I thought one of the main roles of a pharmacist was to watch out for possible drug interactions. I wonder if there will be an investigation as to how this slipped by.

- Nancy on September 29th, 2006

A lot of people think of methadone as being a drug only used for heroin addicts. Not true. It is prescribed for pain (back pain, severe migranes, etc.) Ironically, methadone is very often used to help people who are addicted to vicodin. However vicodin, methadone, and oxycontin are very similar. All are synthetic opiates.

- melanie on September 29th, 2006

Anna just exchanged vows with Howard K. Stern! So many things happening right now with Daniel and the new baby…now she’s married! Things are happening so fast for her.

- Doreen on September 29th, 2006

They didn’t actually ‘wed’ but they had commitment vows. HMMMMM

- Doreen on September 29th, 2006

Melanie:

I don’t remember if it was “Extra” or “ET” or what, but Dr’s were on one of those shows talking about methadone and how it’s not usually prescribed for back pains, or any other type of pain for that matter. All you need to do is a GOOGLE search and what is brought up in descriptions about methadone is it’s most commom use for recovering drug addicts! One of the drs. that talked said that Daniel should have been given a more appropriate drug for his back pain such as VICODIN. Bottom line is Daniel should have NEVER been given that medication! I bet Anna Nicole will have a lawsuit in the works very soon because of these findings!

- Lauren22 on September 29th, 2006

Actually, methadone is commonly used to treat those with chronic pain. It’s one of the cheapest pain meds, so for those who are disabled by pain and unable to work it is often the only medication they can afford. With chronic pain and being on opioids you develop tolerance to drugs and you need stronger or more medication to manage the same condition. That’s one reason that methadone is still in use, because it is a strong drug. I guess because fentanyl has gotten into the heroin supply in the US and has killed people we should take that drug off the market as well? Fentanyl is 100 times as powerful as morphine, and is used in opioid tolerant patients. These patients may have just been taking opioids for a dozen years to need a drug as strong as fentanyl, they can’t be helped with medication that isn’t as strong, but because it can kill someone I guess that it means it shouldn’t be prescribed?

People always jump to conclusions when pain medications are prescribed. They feel the dosage is too much, the medications are misused, and it really causes problems in caring for those who have true chronic pain.

- methadone on September 29th, 2006