I've been mulling this over for a bit now. Each night as I typically watch one of the 3 big news US news networks I watch the same event unfold.
Night after night without any hesitation we get bombarded with commercials for prescription drugs. It would appear that there is a drug for just about
any problem or disorder you feel you might have. Arthritis, acid reflux, blurred vision, acute headaches, erectile difficulties, cholesterol, weight
loss, depression/anxiety etc, etc. You name it theres a remedy it seems. I realize that the FDA was given the green light several years back to be
able to feature their products. Further I realize that several drugs do benefit people and that airing the commercials during the news slot is most
likely a peak period for viewership. What better time to get your message out right?
The veracity of prescription drugs is not in question here (I'm not a doctor or pharmacist) but given the gullible masses is this really the
direction we should be going in? Given all the problems today with non prescription drug abuse how is society better off? More prescription drugs
leads to more dependency which equates to control. Further without knowing what's really in prescription drugs who's to say that additives may not
be in place to condition people for other purposes.
Today an article appeared which validates these thoughts. The article is titled "Prescription abuse to pass illicit drugs".
Abuse of prescription drugs is about to exceed the use of illicit street narcotics worldwide, and the shift has spawned a lethal new trade in
counterfeit painkillers, sedatives and other medicines potent enough to kill, a global watchdog warned Wednesday. Prescription drug abuse already has
outstripped traditional illegal drugs such as heroin, cocaine and Ecstasy in parts of Europe, Africa and South Asia, the U.N.-affiliated International
Narcotics Control Board said in its annual report for 2006.
In the United States alone, the abuse of painkillers, stimulants, tranquilizers and other prescription medications has gone beyond "practically all
illicit drugs with the exception of cannabis," with users increasingly turning to them first, the Vienna-based group said.
src:
news.yahoo.com...
What's the next step. Do we declare a war on prescription drugs?
brill
[edit on 2-3-2007 by brill]