10 years of pill popping

PAL: Margolis

05/07/2009

A CLOSE friend of Jackson has revealed his painkiller addiction was out of control ten years ago.

Jonathan Margolis, who spent a year working alongside Jacko on a book that was never published, told how he watched the star pop ibuprofen on a regular basis.

Jonathan said: "It gave him a kind of wooziness.

"He was always a little bit sleepy and a little bit happy.

"The problem with ibuprofen is that it is quite addictive and once you use it for even a week it can be a problem."

Jackson, who was said to have been addicted to powerful painkillers OxyContin and Demerol at his death, told Jonathan the ibuprofen was to ease backache. The writer also said Jacko's early death did not surprise him, adding: "There seemed to be something maybe inevitable about this.

"I found it hard to imagine Michael Jackson ever being old.

"I couldn't envisage a way in which his body could even survive to old age. He was in a very bad ravaged state. His face was pretty bad when I was close to him."

Your comments

This article has 8 comments

let's call it a day and let this 'poor' man rest in peace. he's yesterday's chips wrapping. i'm sure,
you/re all not short of others to pull to pieces.
how about jordan or katona for a blasted change.

By maria robinson.. Posted August 2 2009 at 2:25 PM.

Hindsight is 20/20. But I would hope that I would have taken the side of an intervention strategy, rather than watch him slowly slip away. It is so hard, though. Because if the intervention failed, and he kicked me out, then all opportunity to reach him would have passed me by. Sure, my conscience would have been appeased, but access to Michael would be lost, at a time when he most needed people around him who loved him. I can see where some people felt as though they were between a rock and a hard place. I think all of us who want him to still be here, wish that someone or something could have been different. I know, I do.

By Gail.. Posted July 26 2009 at 5:49 AM.

Where were these "close" friends when he was alive? Did they help him?
The only people who loved him unconditionally were his 3 children.

By Becky.. Posted July 14 2009 at 3:29 PM.

Ibuprofen is not a narcotic and has absolutely no addictive quality and unless it was mixed with hydrocodone or oxycodone or codeine there is NO POSSIBLE WAY he could have been addicted to it--that's like saying he was addicted to aspirin or tylenol--it's simply not possible!!

By Teri Davis Newman.. Posted July 6 2009 at 3:52 AM.

Rest In Peace My Friend

By Raquel.. Posted July 5 2009 at 11:55 PM.

Ibuprofen on it's own is NOT addictive and that is a scientific FACT.It is only addictive when combined with CODEINE.

By lee.. Posted July 5 2009 at 5:00 PM.

The vulture have started to circle.....anything for money. The only friends Michael had were members of his family. All others are opportunists. He is no longer here to defend himself

By nkeiru asumah.. Posted July 5 2009 at 4:50 PM.

Any TRUE friend of Michael Jackson,as claimed by yourself, Mr. Margolis, along with Mr. Geller WOULD have organised AN INTERVENTION. IF I'd had the privilige of being "his friend" I'd have done so, regardless of the consequences to 'our friendship'.

By Anita Smith.. Posted July 5 2009 at 1:30 PM.

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