Back in 1953 they didn't quite have the forensic testing that they do now. I can only go by what I know the family said. We know now, that alcohol and barbiturates, and/or heroin, morphine, and other downers, and/or opium based drugs can be a fatal cocktail. This is a known fact! According to the family, and the mother, who knew him, and was aware of his excesses, Hank was KNOWN to abuse those substances...so much, that she discouraged her sons to pursue music, as a career. This I KNOW!
Now, if that isn't good enough for you, sorry...but I've know the family since the '50s. I am not smearing Hank, nor Elvis, nor Janis, nor Jimi, nor Morrison, nor Jackson, nor Winehouse, nor Denny Wilson, nor my former musical partner, nor any other musician/artist who fell into that temptation. If anything, it is a tragedy that rips people off from not only an artist, but to those close to that person, a dad, husband, wife, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter and/or friend. So let's knock it off, OK?

Respectfully,
GfS

P.S. As to 'Big Al's' assertion, "And isn't this what Obama is about? Trying to end this business of only a third of Americans having medical cover - extracting you from foreign wars that should hve been short punitive expeditions, but turned into trying reforming countries that don't really want to be reformed, and thus wasting your country's wealth."

Obama hasn't done ANY of those things....and he could have, ended the wars, and our foreign involvements, and vetoed economy crippling bailouts, that served the crooks and his cronies, with the stroke of a pen. As far as 'Health Care', the provisions in the bill, is what they were after. If it was 'only' for 'health reasons', Medicare/Medicaid could have been cleaned up, and expanded.....without dividing the country, and adding the totalitarian provisions, contained in the 'Obama Care' bill.
So the answer to your question,"And isn't this what Obama is about?"
The answer is a resounding "NO!".....and that should be alarmingly obvious to you by now! Had he done those things, there wouldn't even be a 'Tea Party'!..and, by the way, in case you're wondering about my position, Bush carries the weight of the guilt, as well!