THE FUNCTION OF CORONERS AND MEDICAL EXAMINERS IN DETERMINING CAUSE OF DEATH IS OUTLINED, AS WELL AS THE ROLE OF AN AUTOPSY IN POSTMORTEM EXAMINATION. CIRCUMSTANCES PRECEDING DEATH MUST BE CONSIDERED IN ESTABLISHING CAUSE OF DEATH. A DISTINCTION IS MADE BETWEEN 'PINPOINT' CAUSE OF DEATH, IN WHICH A SINGLE ELEMENT OR CAUSE IS ASSIGNED, AND 'FRAMEWORK' CAUSE OF DEATH, IN WHICH A SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH CULMINATED IN DEATH IS DESCRIBED. TWO CASE FRAMEWORK DIAGNOSES OF DRUG-RELATED DEATHS ARE PRESENTED TO SHOW THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS TYPE OF CAUSE-OF-DEATH DETERMINATION. IN COMPLEX CASES OF CERTIFICATION OF CAUSE OF DEATH IN NARCOTIC ADDICTS AND OTHER PSYCHOACTIVE DRUG-RELATED DEATHS, FORENSIC PATHOLOGISTS, MEDICAL EXAMINERS, AND CORONERS MUST BECOME AWARE OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL INFORMATION ABOUT CAUSE OF DEATH AND SHOULD AVOID PINPOINT DETERMINATIONS IN SUCH SITUATIONS.