Mac Miller's Cause of Death Revealed as Accidental Overdose of Fentanyl, Cocaine, and Alcohol

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner has determined that Mac Miller died of an accidental overdose of fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol.

November 5, 2018

mac RIP — Image via Getty/Jamie McCarthy

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said Monday that Mac Miller died of an overdose of fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol.

The cause of death was revealed in a statement to People, who added that officials ruled the death accidental and also attributed it to "mixed drug toxicity." Miller was found unresponsive in his Studio City home Sept. 7. He was 26 and had released his brilliant fifth album Swimming just one month earlier.

Miller's life was celebrated with a special tribute concert at the Greek in Los Angeles Halloween night featuring a cathartic gathering of friends, collaborators, and fans including John Mayer, Vince Staples, Travis Scott, SZA, and more. "Mac Miller, my brother, never took himself too seriously, ya know?' Anderson .Paak told the crowd during the night's festivities. "One of the funniest people I've ever met. He wasn't afraid to be like, 'Yo, you dope too, come with me.'"

Fentanyl has been an unfortunate mainstay in headlines over the past several years, having also been named in the deaths of Prince and Lil Peep. In addition to other synthetic opioids, fentanyl is sometimes cut into cocaine, heroin, meth, and benzos. The unpredictable nature of that combination, as well as the inconsistent formula used across many regions, can cause dangerous consequences for both new and experienced users alike. As Vermont's health commissioner Mark Levine explained to the New York Times in a wide-ranging report on fentanyl earlier this year, a single "bad batch" in any region can cause an uptick in accidental overdoses.