Tony Newman: Heath Ledger's Tragic Overdose Death And What Can be Done To Prevent Others

Heath Ledger's haunting role as the Joker in the Dark Knight will hit the screens nationwide this weekend. The critics have been raving about Heath's "dark" Joker performance and there is already buzz that he might win an Oscar for the role posthumously. Until very recently, I lived down the block from Heath Ledger and his wife, Michelle Williams, in Brooklyn. I found myself hit hard by the news of Ledger's accidental overdose death and continue to be disturbed every time I see photos of him, either out of costume or in his role of the Joker. I often used to see Ledger and Williams walking around the neighborhood with their young daughter. It is heartbreaking to think about that young girl never again being able to spend time with her father. While tens of millions now have heard of Heath's tragic death, far fewer are aware of America's overdose epidemic. Accidental deaths from illegal and increasingly from legal drugs have doubled in the last decade. An estimated 22,000 Americans died last ... [link]