Jackson, Drugs and a Growing U.S. Trend

The suspected overdose of the King of Pop has already drawn comparisons to that of the King of Rock, Elvis Presley, whose death in 1977 is also blamed on prescription drugs.

Michael Jackson could be just the latest victim in a string of celebrity deaths caused by prescription drugs, reports CBS News correspondent Bianca Solorzano.

"People who get heavily involved thing that it's safer because it comes to them with a prescription on the label and a doctor's name on it," investigative journalist Gerald Posner said.

Nearly 7 million people abuse pharmaceuticals nationwide - more than cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, ecstasy and inhalants combined.

In a startling new report, deaths in Florida from the drug oxycodone, better known as oxycontin, are up 33 percent from 2007 to 2008.

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"When the cocaine dealers are turning into pharmaceuticals dealers, that tells you how lucrative it is," said Capt. Karl Durr, of the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division.

Law enforcement officers focus on suspects accused of "doctor shopping" - going from doctor to doctor buying prescription pain killers to abuse or sell. It's a practice authorities believe Jackson may have been partaking in as well.

"Where he got the drugs from is the $64,000 question," Posner said. "He had doctors everywhere."

That gives the enigmatic Jackson something tragically in common with the rest of America.