But the flip side is that prescription drug abuse is up, by about 20% nationwide - that means taking prescription drugs for non-medical effects such as weight loss, euphoria, sleep, energy, etc. Unfortunately, Ms. Murphy had a rep for being unstable due to drugs or perceived drug use - even lost jobs as a result of it.
I think many people feel that pills are less of a risk, b/c they're prescribed and a doctor wouldn't prescribe something that would hurt them. Then they don't always tell their other docs what they're on and end up mixing, to their detriment.
On top of that, Hollywood is notorious for its "Dr. Feelgoods" - morally challenged physicians who cash in on the fact that celebs feel they need quick fixes for any of the above problems - and they're willing to pay big $$.
Also, it's even easier now to buy some of this crap online w/o a script! Pills also don't have the same social stigma that street drugs do - it's more socially acceptable to pop pills than to jam a needle into your arm or to free base.
All of this is a recipe for disaster. It can happen to anyone who isn't being careful or thinks "it can't happen to me." This is a real problem. Not everything is a hoax.