The death of a young person is always sad, but death due to a preventable cause is even more so. This year saw the loss of an extremely talented young actor by accidental overdose. Heath Ledger, of Brokeback Mountain and The Dark Knight fame, was found dead in his apartment after succumbing to an accidental overdose of oxycodone and hydrocodone, powerful narcotics, which were found in combination with other prescription drugs. There have been many celebrities (and family members of celebrities) over the years who have been lost to us as a result of accidental overdose. Whenever a celebrity falls victim to drug overdose, we question why such a needless death should occur. Some famous and notable losses include

Marilyn Monroe, actress, who was found dead in her home after a fatal overdose of barbiturates. There was much controversy over her death, as her name was linked to John F. Kennedy, then president of the United States. Monroe starred in numerous films during her career and was married to several famous men, including baseball great Joe DiMaggio.

John Belushi, comedian, who was best known for his role in The Blues Brothers and for his performances on Saturday Night Live, died of a lethal combination of heroin and cocaine.

River Phoenix, a talented young actor best known for his roles in My Own Private Idaho, Sneakers, and The Thing Called Love, as well as countless other roles, collapsed outside a Hollywood nightclub called the Viper Room (partially owned by Johnny Depp) from an overdose of heroin and cocaine. Although family members and friends tried to revive him, he died on October 31st, 1993.

Anna Nicole Smith, Playboy model, actress, and star of her own reality show, The Anna Nicole Smith Show, was found dead in a hotel room on February 8, 2007. An autopsy later revealed that she had a combination of eight different drugs in her system, primarily Chloral Hydrate and several benzodiazepines. What was especially tragic about her death was that she had recently given birth to a daughter. Her son Daniel succumbed to an overdose of Methadone, Zoloft, and Lexapro while visiting his mother and his new baby sister in the hospital where Anna Nicole gave birth in September of 2006.

There are countless other talented celebrities who have fallen victim to accidental drug overdoses throughout the years. Let us hope that 2009 is not a year in which some of the biggest headlines are about another celebrity who has been lost.

Related Links:

Ÿ Video: OxyContin (Oxycodone Hydrochloride) from illumistream

Ÿ Drug Overdose from Health A to Z

Ÿ Drug Overdose Deaths on the Rise from Web MD