Dr. Drew Pinsky, who has worked with everyone from actors and musicians to everyday folks as an addiction specialist, told 95.5 KLOS that, as a recovering addict, Chris Cornell “should never have been exposed to” Ativan. He added: “Benzodiazepines can make people suicidal. It’s the hidden epidemic. People have gotta remember — we’re getting awareness about opiates. Benzos, over a long term, particularly — and by long term, I mean more than two weeks — are a very dangerous class of medications, and extremely dangerous if you have a history of addiction.”
Cornell admitted to becoming a “daily drug user” at the age of just 13 and returning to drug use after Soundgarden disbanded in 1997. He said he used “everything,” describing himself as a “pioneer” in the use of OxyContin. In the mid-2000s, he went to rehab. “I’m not sure if it was the best place for me, but it worked,” he later said.
Listen to the full clip of Dr. Drew talking about Cornell’s death below.
