All the drugs found in 304 during the investigation could have been, and probably were, prescription, although 24 bottles does seem excessive. The presence of amphetamines and barbiturates, combined with the knowledge that Joe frequently worked through the night and had sessions and meetings during the day, suggests that he was on the merry go round of something-to-send-you-to-sleep, something-to-wake-you-back-up (or keep you awake a bit longer). Purple hearts, also found at 304, were prescribed for, among other things, manic depression, of which Joe certainly exhibited some symptoms. On Pink's evidence, Joe had worked through the night of February 2 and, knowing he had a session coming up, probably took something to keep himself awake, which would explain the presence of amphetamine in his system.

Some have tried to suggest that Joe took 'illegal' drugs; what this means is unclear. He may have used not strictly legal methods to obtain the prescription drugs he had (i.e. visiting different doctors), but as far as street drugs go, there is more evidence to suggest he wasn't a user. Friends who attended parties at 304 say that although he was tolerant of other people smoking pot around him, he never used it himself, even if it meant being the odd one out. Instead he would mix himself a couple of gin and tonics and get just as 'silly' as everyone else that way. Indeed, one musician became the delighted recipient of a large bag of marijuana left behind from the previous session, as Joe did not even want it on the property. When a band was busted leaving the studio one time, he refused to talk to them again. It's possible (in fact highly likely, given the circumstances and lifestyle of the music business at the time) that he experimented with a few of the more popular street drugs available, but it doesn't appear to have become a habit.

Apart from a few G&T's at the aforementioned parties, Joe doesn't even seem to have been much of a drinker; his tolerance for alcohol was very low, and his main reason for having it at 304 was to be a good host. He never drank while working, and there's no evidence to show he drank alone. He never smoked cigarettes and two of the people closest to him have said that they don't think he even knew how to smoke. It seems therefore that Joe's substance abuse was limited to uppers and downers. The reason why he had so many can only be speculation. One possibility is that he was receiving help for his mental problems, and several different medications had been tried without success, accumulating because Joe never bothered to throw the obsolete ones away. Alternatively, having become reliant on them, he may have stockpiled them somewhat to ensure he didn't run out. It's impossible to make an actual judgement without more information, which would be extremely difficult to search out.

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