From the Western Australian today ...
Police are investigating the death of a 26-year-old former WA Institute of Sport cyclist who died from an overdose of the narcotic painkiller OxyContin after allegedly being prescribed 20 tablets of the potentially lethal drug.
Bibra Lake resident Daniel Hall was found dead in July by his mother Monique after taking up to eight of the 80mg painkillers - known in America as "hillbilly heroin" - within 24 hours.
Twenty tablets of the drug had allegedly been prescribed to him two days earlier at a day clinic in Perth's inner suburbs after surgery to remove a benign tumour from his nose, with Mr Hall issued the dose despite having a history of prescription drug abuse.
Andrew