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The world was in a collective state of mourning in 2011, when news broke that beloved musician Amy Winehouse had tragically passed away.
The international singer-songwriter phenom was just 27 years old at the time of her death, having made her mark with multiple Grammy Award wins, a distinct vocal range, and global smash hits like “Rehab” and “Valerie”.
Now over a decade after her death, the world is still captivated by Winehouse and her legacy, with the Sam Taylor-Johnson-directed biopic, Back To Black — named after one of Winehouse’s hit singles — arriving in April 2024. This renewed attention has cast our minds back to Winehouse’s untimely end, including details about the cause of death and coroner reports.
Amy Winehouse’s cause of death, confirmed.
Amy Winehouse was found dead in her flat in Camden, North London, on July 23, 2011. The singer-songwriter’s death was confirmed to be a result of accidental alcohol poisoning. The coroner reported that “alcohol toxicity” had caused Winehouse to have a respiratory arrest and had sent her into a comatose state.
The cause of death resulted from Winehouse having 416mg of alcohol per decilitre in her blood, which equates to five times the legal driving limit. Winehouse was found clothed on her bed with an open laptop and empty vodka bottles nearby. The coroner in Winehouse’s case quickly ruled out any suspicious cause of death, declaring the singer “voluntarily” consumed alcohol that “took an unexpected turn” in causing her death.
Dr. Christina Romete, who treated Winehouse for her alcoholism and was involved in the coroner’s report, revealed details of the singer’s other addictions. Romete said Winehouse had in the past used marijuana, crack cocaine and heroin, but had given them up some time before her alcohol poisoning. Romete also revealed that Winehouse had stopped drinking for two weeks before resuming a few days before her death, and had told Romete she “[didn’t] want to die.”
The coroner reports showed a history of Winehouse having periods of alcohol abstinence followed by intense relapses. Winehouse’s cause of death was revealed a year and a half after her passing. An original inquest into her death, led by Suzanne Greenaway, was dismissed when it was discovered that Greenaway did not have the correct qualifications for the role.
Winehouse’s struggles with addiction are depicted in Back to Black, which features several scenes with heavy alcohol use and mentions of her being “a drinker.” Winehouse herself addressed her alcoholism in her music, releasing songs like “Rehab”, “Wake Up Alone”, and “Addicted”.