The Pharmaceutical Reins on America

One need not look far to find a major source of trouble in America; drugs.  I'm not necessarily talking about illicit toxins such as cocaine, heroin, ecstasy, LSD, methamphetamine or the like, but 22 million people in this country addicted to such chemicals is definitely horrible and is the cause of innumerable other social problems.  However, there is another group of drugs and their manufacturers that is causing a whole other set of situations.

The legal drug industry is one of the most lucrative in the world, which is why it continues to grow and Americans' insurance costs have skyrocketed in recent years.  In fact, pharmaceutical companies make so much money off duping the government and citizens of this country that they have easily been able to pay the more than $1.5 billion in fines for Medicaid and other fraud since 2001.  This isn't even mentioning the hundreds of millions, if not billions, that have been paid to settle suits from consumers.  Then there is the ongoing story of pharmaceutical salesman pressuring and even paying doctors to prescribe their drugs over others' or for an off-label use. 

The trend of using one drug for some other purpose is an attempt for these companies to earn even more money.  It is not a sincere effort to help Americans live better lives.  In many cases, the side effects from the drugs can even worsen their condition.  This ploy has spilled over into the field of drug addiction, claiming drugs already on the market might help to treat one addiction or another. 

The announcement by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) came just one week before Oregon showed that methadone, a drug used to supposedly treat heroin addiction, has become the state's most deadly drug with 103 deaths in 2002.  Now the major drug companies have convinced the federal government to spend even more money on ineffective measures.

Drugs being studied by NIDA include antidepressants, which have been banned for adolescents in the United Kingdom because of their link to suicidal ideation, and stimulants, which are themselves in the same classification as cocaine in the Controlled Substances Act and are responsible for getting millions of kids in the United States physically addicted to drugs.

An important connection that factors into this equation is that all of the drugs that are now considered to be the most dangerous were once prescribed medically and used legally.  Many of the drugs now on the market will one day be illegal too because of their addictive qualities and deadly side effects.

It should be noted that one of the largest and most effective drug education and rehabilitation programs in the country, Narconon Arrowhead, does not use any drugs in treating addiction.  As a result of L. Ron Hubbard's drug-free methodology, Narconon Arrowhead has a success rate more than three times the national average for helping individuals overcome addiction.  I suggest if you or someone you love is struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction, contact Narconon Arrowhead by calling 1-800-468-6933 today or log on to www.stopaddiction.com.

After all, the lies and deceit by pharmaceutical companies may have paid off financially for the giant drug pushers in the short run since prescription drug use continues to soar, but rest assured the full truth will come out and Americans will see how they've been tricked.  All they have to do is look and see for their selves instead of simply taking someone's word that using these drugs is safe.  Once this happens people will be much healthier and happier, insurance rates will drop again and individuals seeking to beat their addiction to drugs or alcohol can find real solutions instead of false hope from ineffective substitute drug treatments.

It's time to free America from the reins of the big-time drug pushers and start getting us all to look and think for ourselves.

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