On March 3, 1994, an alarming event that was supposed to raise a red flag, regarding Kurt Cobain's difficult mental state, had happened.
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Kurt Cobain went into a coma after taking a large amount of Rohypnol (which today is also known as a rape drug).
As you may recall, on March 1, 1994, "Nirvana" made their last performance in Munich, Germany, and the rest of the European tour that was planned for the band, was canceled due to Kurt's health condition. More about that, read here.
Following the cancellation of the tour and Kurt's condition, his wife, Courtney Love, came to Europe and joined her husband, who was in Rome at the time, where he recovered from the bronchitis that had struck him.
In an interview with "Rolling Stone" magazine in December 1994, she noted that Cobain was deeply depressed, even before arriving in Italy. He called her from Spain crying and told her that he hates everyone, hates everything and hates life and that is why she immediately got on a plane and met him in Rome. Upon arrival the two spent the night together eating dinner and drinking champagne. The next morning when she woke up around 5:30 a.m., Courtney found Cobain lying on the floor by the bed unconscious and unresponsive, after swallowing an amount of 50 sleeping pills. Kurt was rushed to the hospital and upon arrival all the contents of his stomach was pumped and he regained consciousness a few hours later.
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Kurt Cobain took his own life about a month after this tragic event, and the question arises as to whether this should not have lit a red light for Courtney and those surrounding him. Could they not have done more to prevent Kurt's suicide?
For some reason this incident was not characterized as suicide attempt by the investigators, nor by the doctor who treated him at the hospital. However, Courtney is convinced that it was indeed so. She even claimed that Cobain left a note that read: “Dr Baker says I would have to choose between life and death. I'm choosing death".
Interestingly, even Kurt Cobain's management company holds the opinion that the 3.3.94 incident was not a suicide attempt, even though they do not deny that Cobain left the note in question.
Either way, it is certainly not clear how Kurt Cobain was not immediately referred for supportive care or even forced hospitalization, that would prevent what happened about a month later.