Rapper Mac Miller Died of a Fentanyl Overdose. Now His Drug Dealer Is Facing 17.5 Years in Prison
Mac Miller’s Deadly Fentanyl Overdose
Anyone who followed the past decade’s music news knew Mac Miller was a rapper at the top of his game. Born Malcolm McCormick in the early ’90s, he was always open about his struggles with depression, substance abuse, addiction, and relapse difficulties. He became addicted to lean (codeine cough syrup and soda) in 2012 and abused promethazine, moving between substance abuse and sobriety on and off for years. When he was 26 years old, McCormick was arrested for driving under the influence and hit and run after crashing into a utility pole and fleeing but was released on $15,000 bail. In September of 2018, he died with a lethal cocktail of alcohol, cocaine, and deadly fentanyl-laced pills in his system, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner and Coroner.
According to Rolling Stone Magazine’s account, earlier that week, he had been sold ten oxycodone pills called “blues,” along with cocaine and Xanax. The blues were laced with a deadly amount of fentanyl. McCormick was last seen alive at around 10:30 p.m. the day before, but his assistant found him unresponsive the next day. Investigators ruled that Mac Miller’s death likely resulted from snorting the counterfeit pills and dying of fentanyl overdose.
Fentanyl and America’s Overdose Crisis
The rapper’s death comes as no surprise during this opioid overdose crisis in the U.S. It is essential to spread awareness about the prevalence of deadly amounts of fentanyl in street drugs today. Some facts about fentanyl include:
- Fentanyl is the leading cause of death in young people under the age of 50 in America.
- You cannot see, smell, or taste fentanyl.
- The equivalent of two grains of salt can kill you.
- Hundreds of thousands of Americans died from fentanyl-related causes in 2021
- It is often hidden inside other fentanyl-laced pills, counterfeit oxycodone pills, powders, and injectable drugs, making any use of any street drug into a possible fentanyl overdose.
Consequences for Drug Dealers Who Sell Fentanyl Laced Drugs
Drug dealers who sell fentanyl-laced drugs are paying the price, with one drug dealer sentenced to over a decade behind bars and another reaching a plea agreement. Stephen Walter pleaded guilty and was sentenced to nearly 18 years of prison for supplying pills containing fentanyl, partially due to the rapper’s death and because he continued to sell cocaine and the fentanyl-laced “blues” pills even after McCormick died in 2018. Knowingly providing dangerous and deadly drugs is not acceptable, morally or legally.
How to Prevent a Fatal Fentanyl Overdose
With one drug dealer sentenced to over a decade behind bars by the Los Angeles Federal Court, another pleaded guilty with a plea deal, another sentenced to 17.5 years in prison for supplying deadly fentanyl-laced pills, and a dead music star, it is clear that fentanyl ruins lives in one way or another. Cameron Pettit, Stephen Walker, Ryan Reavis, and Mac Miller’s loved ones are changed forever. These are only a few of the millions of related stories connected to the distribution of fentanyl and those it affects.
You may avoid a fatal overdose of fentanyl or any other drug by:
Never using drugs alone
If Mac Miller’s drug dealer had stayed as Miller used the drugs, he might have survived his overdose. Using drugs alone is a recipe for disaster. If you suspect you are overdosing on fentanyl and are alone, call 911 immediately and get yourself where the paramedics can find you. Try to stay awake, do your best to remain upright or lay on your side, and administer Narcan to yourself if you have it available.
Testing your drugs using test strips
These are strips you can often find in home kits, and they are also used in harm reduction facilities. The strips detect the presence of fentanyl in unregulated drugs and can be used to check injectables, powders, and pills. Test strips are not 100% effective because those involved in fentanyl distribution often sell drugs like carfentanil that the strips cannot detect.
Having Narcan/Naloxone with you
Narcan can save a life, even if it is not yours. If you or someone you know has accidentally taken a drug containing fentanyl or if you believe you may have taken enough for a fatal overdose, inject Narcan into the thigh, spray up the nose, call 911, and try to keep the overdosing person awake. This is a fast-acting opioid agonist that will block opioid effects for 30 to 90 minutes. It may take more than one dose to wake somebody up. Ensure they receive medical care and stay with them until help arrives.
Not using drugs at all
Stopping your drug abuse is the best way to ensure you do not put yourself into risky situations that may result in injury or fentanyl overdose death. At Muse Treatment Center, we provide medical help and prescription medications to make your detox as smooth and comfortable as possible, followed by integrated, customized inpatient rehab and outpatient treatments. These levels of care all include:
- Mental health care and dual diagnosis treatment
- Individual therapy
- Educational programs
- Group therapy
- Counseling
- Relapse prevention programs
- Aftercare treatment
Knowing the symptoms of an allergic reaction to Meth can also prevent unwanted deaths:
https://musetreatment.com/blog/signs-and-symptoms-allergic-reaction-to-meth/
With Muse Treatment Center, you can detox without pain or discomfort, then seamlessly transition into your next phase of treatment, healing the causes of your addiction while you strengthen your mind, body, and soul and prepare for life without substance abuse. Call us at (800) 426-1818 today to find out more.
