Award winning Native American flutist Hospitalized

Released_By: USANews PR Network
Date: Monday, April 07, 2008
Time: 11:51:37 PM

For_Immediate_Release

LONDON - Award winning Native American flutist Jay Red Eagle Hospitalized

Award winning Native American flutist Jay Red Eagle has been hospitalized. David Marrs, spokesman for Red Eagle said "While speaking to him on the phone last night, he said someone was taking him to the hospital. He had sustained injuries in an automobile accident several months ago back in the states, and his doctor prescribed Hydrocodone. I want to stress that Jay does not consume alcohol and never uses recreational drugs. This is simply a case of prolonged use of a narcotic painkiller, in this case several months, that unintentionally led to an addiction. The label on Hydrocodone even warns that it can be both physiclly and psychologically addictive," Marrs said.

Hydrocodone is a semi-synthetic opioid or synthetic form of morphine used to treat severe to moderate pain and is one of many medications that had been prescribed to Anna Nicole Smith.

"Mr. Red Eagle's doctors originally wanted to prescribe Oxycontin," Marrs said, "but he refused to take it and Hydrocodone was their second choice."

Several celebrities including George Carlin and Rush Limbaugh have spoken publicly about their addiction to Hydrocodone and other pain killers.

"At this time I'm not sure what the next step will be, but rehab has been mentioned as one of the options for Jay," Marrs said.

Jay Red Eagle is a Cherokee tribal member from Oklahoma who was voted "Native American Flutist Of The Year" in 2006 and "Native American Artist Of The Year" in 2007.