There was speculation that the cause of Michael Jackson's untimely death was related to prescription drugs that the singer had been taking for the pain in his back and leg. Jackson had been practicing for a 50-concert comeback in London, and had been suffering with pain during rehearsals. The coroner has in fact, ruled Jackson's death a homicide. Dr. Conrad Murray acknowleges giving Jackson a 25 mg dose of propofol, the morning of his death, when Jackson was unable to sleep, with earlier injected sedatives.http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,542221,00.html

On June 30, 2009, The Associated Press reported that Jackson was an insomniac, who had tried to obtain the intravenous drug Diprivan, (Propofol) to put him to sleep. He asked Cherilyn Lee, a nurse, to help him get the drug, but she refused to help him procure it. The drug affects the central nervous system, and if a patient is given too much, it will stop their breathing.http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090701/ap_on_en_mu/us_michael_jackson_drugs

In 2004, Marc Schaffel, a former Jackson associate, filed a lawsuit against Jackson alleging a breach of contract, among other things. In his testimony Schaffel stated to Good Morning America's Cynthia McFadden, that Jackson had a problem with drugs.ABC: Speaks Out

In the summer of 2007, Jackson admitted, in a deposition regarding an agreement he had with Dieter Wiesner, that he "could have been" under the influence when he signed the agreement.FOX News: Michael Jackson Admits Drug Use...

An article from Politicol News stated that Jackson began taking Demerol, after he was burned in 1984, and TMZ reports that he was given a large amount of Morphine in the hours before his death.http://politicolnews.com/michael-jackson-drugs-overdose/ His lawyer Brian Oxman had voiced fears that the drugs might become an issue. Vancouver Sun: Michael Jackson may have had prescription drug issues