For many of his fans, the passing of Michael Jackson has been overwhelming; Jackson leaves behind an enduring legacy of humanitarianism and entertaining millions of people for generations. But despite all that he gave to the public, he received little support in return for his need for drug treatment, as his self-professed addiction to painkillers may have ultimately contributed to his untimely death. Promoting awareness now for the need for greater substance abuse intervention in America is critical to saving countless lives in the future.

For days, media reports have flooded in suggesting that prescription painkillers Demerol and Oxycontin may have had a role in Jackson’s death, but this has been denied by Jackon’s physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, whose car has since been towed for possible evidence by the Los Angeles Police Department. According to ABC News, Jackson family attorney Brian Oxman has expressed concerns that Jackson died of “overmedication,” as that “drugs had been part of Jackson’s life since the 1980’s.” Now TMZ.com, a major news blog, has reported on June 29th that the cause of Jackson’s death “increasingly looks” like a drug overdose, adding only to the swirl of controversy surrounding the King of Pop’s death.

The results of a second autopsy and the police investigation are unknown, but what we do know about Michael Jackson is that he experienced the rigors of professional dancing and concert touring which can take a steady toll on the human body, a reality he had lived with since he was eight years old. As early as 1993, Jackson went public with his drug addiction in a taped recording to his fans, and briefly spent time in a British treatment center, but he nevertheless continued to record new tracks and rehearse for music videos and concerts. Whether it was due to an entertainer’s relenetless internal drive to perform, or mounting personal financial difficulties, Jackson never had the life change that people in recovery need, nor the constant care and attention of loved ones to ensure that a new drug-free Michael emerged from all the glitter and success.

For Michael Jackson, there was no family intervention, but that doesn’t have to be the reality for the millions of Americans today with substance abuse problems. Celebrity or not, the world loses when someone is suffering from addiction. We lost an entire decade of talent because of painkillers; one can only speculate as to what Michael Jackson could have created with real focus and the freedom of sober living. Jackson fans should be outraged: where was the drug intervention by loved ones that could have prevented his death?

Drug abuse is a disease that is no different than any other disease that can be contracted by the human body, and we all have the power to help the millions of Americans with addiction problems. As a KeepComingBack.com poll found this spring, nearly one out of ten California adults – 2.5 million people – have illegally used prescription drugs to get high, and nationally the number rises to 44 million who have abused prescription drugs without a doctor’s order. But prescription drug abuse doesn’t always occur behind the backs of physicians; public health experts Dr. Drew Pinsky and Deepak Chopra recently co-authored an op-ed in Huffington Post arguing for the need to rein in “enabling doctors” who peddle drugs to those who don’t need them, distorting the medical profession and perpetuating the culture of “just say yes.” No matter what form it may take, speaking out against prescription drug abuse now can help families understand that Michael’s pain and suffering, like that of their own loved ones, is preventable and can be treated.