Prince was found dead at his Paisley Park property on April 21. Initial speculation cited a possible drug overdose on prescription medication but there was no confirmation. Following an autopsy, results were still inconclusive and couldn’t directly point to any specific cause of death.

According to the Huffington Post, an official that chose to remain anonymous has now confirmed that Prince died as a result of an opioid overdose. To be specific, the drug used was fentanyl, which is reportedly hundreds of times more potent than heroin. 

If accurate, this information substantiates claims that Prince may have been addicted to the use of painkillers after being prescribed back in 2009 following hip issues.

While the national discussion on dependent use of and addiction to prescription medicine grown larger and reaches more people, Prince’s attachment to the issue is sure to bring more attention to it. Hopefully this tragic loss will prevent others from occurring.

 

Photo: YouTube screenshot of Prince performing at the Superbowl