Law enforcement sources say several prescription drugs were found in Whitney Houston's hotel room and TMZ is reporting that the singer died from what appears to be a combination of mixing xanax with alcohol.

Steve Liga, executive director of the the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence in Middlesex County says celebrity deaths may bring attention to the rising problem of prescription drug abuse.

"Its more and more high profile like we're seeing...these are people that folks knew well and respected and it can happen to anybody if it can happen to them."

Officials said its too soon to say whether the medications discovered in her room played any role in the singer's death.

"These days deaths from illegal drugs are not as common as deaths from prescription drugs...its something that is on the rise because people think that if its prescribed by a doctor then it must be safe...and it if the person is depressed it can make it that much worse" said Liga.

Given Houston's history of prior addiction, Liga says her untimely death still has the world talking about the epidemic of addiction and drugs and that's a good thing.

"I think that there will be an increased awareness among doctors when they give a prescription to someone...and I think that over time they will become a lot more careful about what they write out....but something needs to be done here."

If drugs were a factor in her death, you can add Houston to a long list of celebs who have died from prescription drug use. Others include Anna Nicole Smith, Michael Jackson and Heath Ledger.

Houston's body was flown back to New Jersey Monday night, where a funeral is tentatively planned for Friday at the Prudential Center in Newark.

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