Nov. 8--Pro wrestling promoter Greg Price says the abuse of prescription pain pills is crippling the industry.

Price runs the National Wrestling Alliance Legends Fanfest in Charlotte, which features wrestling stars from past and present.

"I see people every day," he said. "They have to perform at an incredibly high level. They don't accept mediocre. A little bit of responsibility has to come back. ... Many of these guys -- they are specifically with the WWE -- are paid based on their performance. If they're hurt, they can't participate at the very best level.

"They can't make main-event money this month."

And that, Price said, can lead to abuse of prescription pills and other drugs. He questions whether the company is doing enough for those wrestlers who may be struggling with nagging injuries and drug issues.

Officials with World Wrestling Entertainment say the company has a strict substance abuse and drug testing policy.

There has been a string of drug-related deaths involving professional wrestlers in recent years. Abuse of prescription pain pills and other drugs often played a role.

Not all those wrestlers worked for the WWE.

Jeff Hardy rose to national fame with his brother after they received full-time WWE contracts in 1998.

Jeff Hardy, a popular wrestler and showman from Cameron, is facing felony drug charges. During a search of his home on Sept. 11, officers seized Vicodin and Soma prescription pills.

WWE spokesman Robert Zimmerman would not comment directly on Hardy's situation. He said Hardy was subject to the same strict rules as other WWE wrestlers when he was under contract. He was suspended twice for violating its drug policy.

Hardy is no longer with the WWE.

"All too often," Price said, "you hear of these guys -- mostly, ex-wrestlers -- that have had issues in the past and you end up reading their obituary. I could name half-a-dozen the last few years who died and prescription drugs have been a factor. Or, a contributing factor."

Among them:

Andrew Martin, or "Test," who was found dead March 13 in his Tampa. Fla., apartment. He was 33. The official cause of death was intoxication by oxycodone from an accidental overdose.

Sherri Schrull, or "Sensational Sherri," who died June 15, 2007, at her mother's home in McCalla, Ala. She was 49. She took an accidental overdose of drugs, including high amounts of oxycodone.

Anthony Durante, one half of the tag team the Pitbulls, who died with his girlfriend on Sept. 25, 2003. An overdose of the painkiller fentanyl killed him at 36.

Michael Lockwood, or "Crash Holly," died Nov. 6, 2003, from what a medical examiner ruled a suicide. He was 32. A lethal combination of painkillers was found in his system.

Chris Benoit apparently killed his wife and son before hanging himself in their Fayetteville, Ga., home on June 24, 2007. He was 40. Many blamed steroids for the murder-suicide. And his autopsy, according to authorities, indicated Benoit's body contained 10 times the normal level of testosterone. But there also were amounts of the anti-anxiety drug Xanax and the painkiller hydrocodone.

Test, Crash Holly and Benoit all wrestled for WWE, along with other wrestling promotions.

Zimmerman said the company has a stringent wellness program in place. WWE employs a zero-tolerance drug-testing program, whether a performance-enhancing drug or narcotic prescription medication is being identified, Zimmerman said.

Wrestlers are tested four times a year for drugs.

"This is a very serious program, and we have been very aggressive at suspensions," said Dr. David Black of the Aegis Sciences Corp.

Black is president and chief executive officer of Aegis, an independent sports drug-testing facility in Nashville, Tenn. It handles drug testing for the WWE, NASCAR and others.

"This program is not a superficial program," he said, "and this program is not a public-relations effort."

Black, who holds a doctorate in forensic toxicology, said prescription pill abuse is no greater in the WWE than in society at large.

Price concurs, but he said the WWE can do more.

"When you have people that are in your employ that are going to rehab and dying, obviously you're not doing enough," he said.

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