L.A. Coroner: No Conclusions Regarding Whitney Houston's Death Pending Drug Tests
YELLIN: And back to the investigation into Whitney Houston's death. An official with the L.A. Coroner's Office appears to be downplaying suspicions that drugs were a factor, but Houston's struggle with addiction has been long, painful and very public. Our Lisa Sylvester has more on a problem that affects millions of people around the world. Hi, Lisa.</s>SYLVESTER: Hi, Jessica. Well, you know, the autopsy has been completed, and the L.A. chief coroner has said that there were no signs of foul play and no injuries to Whitney Houston. And the coroner has not yet determined an official cause of death, but there is speculation that her years of drug abuse may have played some kind of role in her death, but it is, we emphasize, just speculation at this point. Her death has, however, put the spotlight on drug and alcohol addiction.</s>SYLVESTER (voice-over): We don't know the cause of Whitney Houston's death. It will likely be weeks before the toxicology reports are completed. But what we do know is that Houston had a lengthy battle with drugs. Those around her, including her mother, had begged for her to get help. She spoke to Oprah Winfrey in 2009 describing one such intervention.</s>WHITNEY HOUSTON, SINGER: One time my mother came in my house. It was kind of funny, but now I look at it and I see the love and the passion that my mother has for me -- she has for me. And she walks in with these sheriff's and she says, "I have a court injunction here. Either you're going to do it my way or we're just not going to do this at all. We're going to go on TV and you're going to retire and say you're giving this up because this is not worth it."</s>SYLVESTER: Whitney Houston went seven years without a new album. In 2009, she was back on the scene, now divorced from singer Bobby Brown. In her Beverly hills hotel room, there were a few prescription bottles. But according to the coroner's office, not many. Was it drug abuse that killed her or something else? There have been a string of celebrities who have died because of alcohol and drug abuse, singer Michael Jackson, actor Heath Ledger, singer Amy Winehouse, and model Anna Nicole Smith among them. The number of deaths from overdoses of prescription painkillers has more than tripled in the last decade, according to the nation's drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske.</s>GIL KERLIKOWSKE, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL: I don't think people recognize the fact that prescription drugs can be just as deadly, just as addictive, just as dangerous as illegal drugs.</s>SYLVESTER: When prescription drugs are mixed with alcohol, it can be a particularly lethal combination.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you put the two together, again, it could have devastating effects. And that margin for error gets smaller and smaller the more you're adding things together.</s>SYLVESTER: William Moyers started using marijuana as a teenager, eventually became hooked on crack cocaine before getting clean.</s>WILLIAM MOYERS, HAZELDEN: Addiction doesn't discriminate. It doesn't care who you are, or who you aren't, for that matter. And if we, as people who are addicted in recovery, don't take care of our recoveries, we relapse.</s>SYLVESTER: Whitney Houston spoke publicly of her battles including in that Oprah interview, speaking of her mother's efforts to save her.</s>HOUSTON: And she said, "Let's go." She said, "Let's do this." She said, "I'm not losing you to the world. I'm not losing you to Satan." She said, "I'm not doing this. I want my daughter back. I want you back. I want to see that glow in your eyes, that light in your eyes."</s>SYLVESTER: What happened with Whitney Houston in these final years and the days leading up to her death? Well, we don't know. Now, the Oprah Winfrey Network will air that interview though in its entirety in a two-hour special this Thursday -- Jessica.</s>YELLIN: That Oprah interview is heartbreaking.</s>SYLVESTER: I know. I know, because you really get a sense, Jessica, of just how much her mother had done. She showed up with the sheriff's office, basically, with sheriff's deputies at Whitney Houston's house, saying, I'm going to save you.</s>YELLIN: Tried to save her.</s>SYLVESTER: And, you know, there were numerous interventions. And again, we have to emphasize, we don't know for a fact that drug abuse played a role in her death, but there is a lot of speculation, it is an issue that's out there, and --</s>YELLIN: It's so hard to watch.</s>SYLVESTER: -- it is shining a spotlight on what an issue alcohol and drug addiction really is, the disease that it causes for so many people.</s>YELLIN: For so many people. Thank you, Lisa. And it is time now to check back with Jack Cafferty. Hi, Jack. What are those e-mails saying?</s>CAFFERTY: Hello, Jess. The question this hour: Should the payroll tax cut be extended yet again? It looks like it's going to be. Rob says, "Yes, it should be reduced, but the cap should go away. All income, wages and investments should be included. It will be a better benefit that way for those who pay more and the solvency of the system would be ensured." John in Pennsylvania says, "Come on, Jack. This is only an election year ploy. The money that should be going into the Social Security fund is being replaced by money from the general fund, which puts the government further in the hole. Most Americans should be willing to sacrifice a little rather than add to the deficit." Marilyn writes, "If this was a debate about a tax cut for the rich, the Republicans would again be beating their drum about not taxing the job creators. But since this tax cut would primarily benefit the working poor, there's no urgency. After all, Mitt Romney is not concerned about us." Ouch. Luke writes, "As someone who doesn't even make $50,000 a year, I cherish every dollar in my paycheck. However, we have a Social Security system that's going bankrupt and needs as much funding as possible. We live in a time when tough choices have to be made if we want things that we have taken for granted for decades to remain available." Jane in California writes, "It should never have been cut in the first place. There are much better ways to get stimulus into the economy. Building infrastructure creates something that may be of use and value for years. A couple of extras pieces a month, not so much." And J.D. in New Hampshire writes, "Absolutely. As long as people sitting around the pool waiting for their checks to arrive get to pay 15 percent, the people who actually do work for a living need a break, too." If you want to read more about this subject, go to my blog, CNN.com/CaffertyFile, or through our post on THE SITUATION ROOM'S Facebook page -- Jess.</s>YELLIN: Interesting. Opinion pretty divided on that one, Jack.</s>CAFFERTY: Yes.</s>YELLIN: Thanks so much. "I Will Always Love You." Ahead, Jeanne Moos's take on one of Whitney Houston's most popular songs.