In 1996, Adler suffered a stroke and was briefly comatose after taking a particularly potent speedball—a cocktail of heroin and cocaine used intravenously—which caused a temporary paralysis of the left side of his face, resulting in a speech impediment. The following year, he pleaded no contest to disturbing the peace in relation to a domestic violence charge involving a woman with whom he had been living; he was sentenced to four days in jail, three years' probation, and mandatory drug counseling.