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Prince Death: Man Who Found Dead Body Writes Op-Ed About Painkiller Addiction

By Patricia Grannum
Published on: 08:54 PST, Jun 3, 2016

Prince’s cause of death has now been confirmed. According to the Midwest Medical examiner’s report, the legendary musician died from an accidental overdose of the opioid fentanyl, CNN reports.

CNN reports that Fentanyl is a drug that’s normally prescribed for cancer treatment and is 25- to 50-times more potent than heroin. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reports that the drug is 50- to 100-times more potent than morphine.

Andrew Kornfeld, the pre-med student who was among the group of people who found Prince’s dead body in an elevator at his Paisley Park compound, has written an op-ed for CNN discussing the dangers of painkiller addiction. Kornfeld was the one who called 911 to report that Prince’s body had been found.

“Believe me, nothing can prepare a person to walk into such chaos and sadness. As I told the 911 dispatcher on April 21, those on the scene were distraught, which was why I was the one to place the call,” Andrew wrote. “But what happened has made me think, long and hard, about what steps we must take to prevent such entirely unnecessary loss of life.”

Andrew Kornfeld is the son of Dr. Howard Kornfeld, an opioid painkiller addiction treatment specialist who runs an outpatient clinic in Mill Valley, California. According to CBS Minnesota, Andrew was in Minneapolis to consult with Prince on behalf of his father to draw up a plan on how he could treat his addiction.

In his op-ed, Andrew described Prince’s death as a tragedy that could be avoided because the care that he needed is difficult to obtain in Minnesota and many states in the U.S.

“He was an inspiration to so many,” Kornfeld said, “and in the brief time I spent in Minnesota, I saw just how good a friend he was to those closest to him.”

“Right now, we need medical interventions for opioid dependence and addiction more than ever, because in the U.S. we’re losing 28,000 people every year — a number that would average out to 77 people daily — to opioid overdoses. In addition, evidence suggests that we must call into question the success of abstinence-only methods.”

According to CNN, the medical examiner’s report did not state whether the fentanyl was illegally obtained, made or prescribed.

Since Prince died on April 21, more information has been released about his addiction when he was alive, CNN notes.

A law enforcement official confirmed that Prince was found with opioid medication on his person when he died, CNN reports. However, investigators reportedly have not found any valid prescriptions for the medicine among his belongings.

In his op-ed, Andrew Kornfeld speaks to the fact that chronic pain is an epidemic that affects people in all walks of life. It makes people desperate for relief even though the medicine has dangerous side effects.

“The millions of individuals who suffer from chronic pain are familiar with this sense of desperation,” Andrew wrote. “They run the gamut: your next door neighbors, the celebrities you read about in magazines at the supermarket checkout, and yes — Prince.”

Prince, who was born Prince Rogers Nelson, passed away at age 57. He is remembered by many as a multi-talented and groundbreaking performer who inspired generations of musicians and people who loved his music.

[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]

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