Dr Drew has suggested Hayden Panettiere may have concealed a drug relapse before her suspected death from an oxycodone pill allegedly laced with fentanyl.
The addiction specialist said Panettiere may have maintained a period of genuine sobriety before returning to drug use, adding that relapses can remain hidden from family and friends.
He said people can take oxycodone and still appear well to those around them, particularly when shame leads them to conceal their behaviour.
Dr Drew also pointed to relationships as one possible factor that can destabilise someone after a year or two of sobriety. The issue arose during discussion of Panettiere’s relationship with Brian Hickerson, which had often been described as on-off.
It was also suggested that Panettiere and Hickerson had in fact remained together throughout that period. Hickerson has not been charged with a crime.
Dr Drew stressed that personal relationships were not the only possible trigger for a relapse, saying the medical system could also play a role.
He warned of the dangers posed by counterfeit pills, saying users have no way of knowing how much fentanyl they may contain.
While he said a dealer allegedly linked to Panettiere’s supply should bear responsibility, Dr Drew argued that the relapse would not have been caused by the dealer appearing “out of nowhere”.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is reportedly focusing on Panettiere’s long-time drug dealer in Los Angeles as investigators try to trace the pill back to its source.
Dr Drew said that, in his view, Panettiere had achieved a real period of sobriety before something drew her back into drug use.
