When word spread of John McCusker’s death, the community’s first instinct was that he died of a drug overdose. After all, John was only 31 years old and owner of Club Montage, a nightclub notorious for circuit-style events, drugs and afterhours parties.

Having a reputation of his own, those who knew John, even his acquaintances, can attest to his struggle with crystal meth and other drugs.

Speculation around the cause of his death grew as the Gay & Lesbian Times awaited the coroner’s report, which would provide a complete toxicological analysis and determine if drugs contributed to his death.

These questions, however, were overshadowed by Bishop Brom’s unconscionable decision to deny the McCusker family Catholic funeral rites in all of the 98 churches and chapels in the Diocese of San Diego. The community won a shallow victory as Brom buckled from bad press and public pressure, eventually apologizing to the family. His apology consisted of three sentences which the McCusker family read at The Center Monday, March 21, which failed to show any real remorse or admit wrongdoings on the part of the bishop. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported Brom had left messages for “ex-gay” Christian radical James Hartline admitting he still supports his original position but was duped into apologizing.

Now that the dust has begun to settle, many are left wondering what actually happened to John and why no one is talking about it.

The coroner’s report was made available to the media on Tuesday. According to the report, John died of congestive heart failure due to drug intoxication. A toxicology report showed that John had a blood alcohol level of .102, including large amounts of oxycodone and amphetamines in his blood. Amphetamines, said to be taken as part of a prescription, were unusually high. Oxycodone, found in drugs such as Oxycotin (which is what John had taken), Percodan and Percocet, is a narcotic typically used for the relief of moderate to moderately severe pain. John’s oxycodone levels were over five times the recommended therapeutic levels and two-and-a-half times what is considered to be toxic. This, in addition to his blood alcohol concentration, high blood pressure for which he was taking medication, and the damage his body had sustained from years of drug and alcohol abuse all contributed to his death.

As devastating as John’s death is, it has the ability to create awareness and impact the community in a positive way. If one person stops using, if one person doesn’t start, if one person simply limits the amount they use because they remember the toll it took on John McCusker – this community has a responsibility, not to demonize John, but to make an example out of his death regardless of the grief associated with it.

The community needs this wakeup call. The prevalence of drug abuse in the gay community is astounding. The negative stigma often applied to, for example, crystal meth and cocaine is second to a glamorous, almost romantic infatuation. This is not just about crystal meth; it’s about substance abuse and risk taking. Chasing back pharmaceuticals with a cosmo has become so commonplace that we forget the risks involved. Tucking ourselves in at night (or mostly likely the morning) with a few Zanax after a night of partying may seem sensible – but we’re gambling with our lives.

This is a call to action. Our GLBT and HIV/AIDS service providers need to collaborate and devise a campaign to effectively tackle the issues surrounding crystal meth and drug abuse. We’ve heard plenty of talk, but when are we actually going to do something about it? The Center, our largest service provider in the community, has to step up and take a leadership role. It’s going to take organization, funding and a community-wide effort.

The discovery of how John died in no way diminishes the good he has done for this community. John McCusker has impacted so many of us during his life and he can continue to do so in death, if we only allow ourselves to listen to his message.