The following wrestlers have died as a result of drug use.
Credit: Bob Magee, TIWR newsboard, PWI Almanac 2000
Gino Hernandez: Died of a cocaine overdose on February 4, 1986 at the age of 29.
Mike "Von Erich" Adkisson: Committed suicide on April 12, 1987 with an intentional Placidyl overdose.
Bruce "Buzz Sawyer" Woyan: Died of a drug overdose on February 7, 1992.
Kerry "Von Erich" Adkisson: Committed suicide near the Von Erichs' home in February of 1993 while waiting for a jail sentence for forging prescriptions.
Art Barr: Died in November 1994 after mixing alcohol and painkillers. He was 29.
Eddie Gilbert: Died of a heart attack in Puerto Rico in February 1995. Had problems with painkillers and steroids.
Herb Abrams: The founder and promotor of UWF; died July 23, 1996 of a drug overdose.
Brian Pillman: Died October 1997 officially of a heart attack. The reality is that years of using steroids and painkillers caught up to him.
Louie Spicolli: Died February 15, 1998 from an overdose of muscle relaxers.
Rick Rude: Died April 1999 from the effects of GHB, also known as the "date rape" drug.
Bobby Duncum, Jr.: Died February 2000 from an overdose of the painkiller Fentanyl, which is reported to be up to 100 times stronger than morphine.
