Prescription Drug Addiction Blog

News of a medical marijuana dispensary being firebombed in Billings, MT broke today, with a story saying that in a city of just 100,000 people there have already been 90 applications to open operations there.

At the same time, cities in California are finally beginning to backtrack on the pot free-for-all that was created when these places were allowed to open there. I think LA County alone has hundreds of dispencaries.

The idea is that prescription marijauna can help ease the symptoms of some pain and other discomforts or symptoms associated with certain diseases. While that may not necessarily be argued, it hasn't prevented people who just want to get high to fake their conditions and even go see "lenient" doctors to get their prescriptions for pot so they can obtain a medical marijuana card. This is then used to just go grab some weed, legally. Well, sort of legally. It's similar to other types of prescription drug fraud if caught.

In Alaska, card-holders are even allowed to grow marijuana for personal use. I once appeared in court for a guy who had a medical marijuana card, though no legitimate reason from what I found, and was facing charges for growing marijuana with the intent to sell. This was just one tiny example of how the system is being abused. Sure, there are people out there who aren't exactly druggies who praise the numbing effects of pot for their arthritis and such, but for every one of those I could probably find two people who are faking it or cheating to try and buy their weed legally to avoid punishment.

We actually don't need governments to step in and try and regulate this drug. It makes people lethargic and less aware, thus becoming a burdent to society. We have enough people needing to find drug rehabs for marijuana without trying to make it okay for them to use it. Believe it or not, inpatient drug rehabs have a higher percentage of people there for "just marijuana" than you would think.

The AP reported this week that giant drug manufacturer AstraZeneca settled a Federal lawsuit for fraud based on illegal promotion of its damagin drug Seroquel. Not only has this drug (and others in the anti-psychotic category) been linked to causing diabetes and creating a manic state in patients, but the drug pusher happily agreed to pay more than half a billion in fines for illegal off-label prototion. Why did they settle? Well, for one reason, they are guilty of fraud. The other reason is that this drug alone was their second-best seller thanks to those illegal practices and they grossed nearly five billion dollars off it in 2009 alone.

Here is yet another example of the outright corruption and death caused by drug companies that our FDA is allowing to occur. These people should have criminal suits filed against them and their executives put in prison. If all they have to do is pay about 10% of gross sales to hold off the government, why would anyone think these practices will stop?

Prescription drugs are arguably the biggest problem in America's healthcare system today. They cause more problems and deaths and increase costs - all to line their own pockets. It's criminal mischief times millions of patients, and this is only one company with only one drug. Multiply that by at least 5 more major companies and dozens of drugs. The result is easily tens of billioins of dollars in profits each year from illegal practices that claim lives, and that doesn't even include the people who wind up becoming dependent on the drugs and need an addiction treatment center.

An article appearing in Reuters this week spoke about the 5.1 percent increase in U.S. prescription drug sales last year vs. the 1.8 percent increase in 2008, and that antipsychotic drugs were the top money makers.

This story appeared the same week as a mention in the New York Times regardin the disclosure that Pfizer paid out $20 million to 4,500 doctors and other medical professionals for consulting and speaking on its behalf in the last six months of 2009. The article also states that Pfizer paid an additional $15.3 million to 250 academic medical centers and other research groups for clinical trials in the same period. The disclosure was one of the results of agreement to settle investigations into Pfizer's illegal promotion of off-label uses for drugs.

Remember, this is only from ONE company. Most of them use these tactics to gain favor and push sales. Coupled with the $26 million spent on pharmaceutical lobying efforts last year and the copious amounts of direct-to-consumer advertising, and it's no wonder that sales hit an all-time high. As long as these companies are able to buy their way out of jail, these practices will also continue.

Drug rehab centers are filled with people addicted to prescription drugs today, and prescription-related deaths are reaching all-time highs in multiple states throughout the country, yet the FDA continues to be held unaccountable the the drug cartels that sell their wares in bottles with labeels keep getting away with it.

If you know someone who needs help overcoming a dependency on prescription drugs, call 1-877-372-5719 today.

By now we have all seen that actor Corey Haim passed away earlier this week in a tragic loss of life. While the immediate cause of death may be some sort of organ failure, there is no doubt that it is the result of a long-standing problem with drug abuse and addiction. In fact, here is the beginning of a recent article from the Associated Press:

"LOS ANGELES – The name of the late actor Corey Haim was found on a fraudulent prescription for a powerful painkiller that authorities said Friday was obtained through a major drug ring.

California Attorney General Jerry Brown's office said records of the prescription in the name of the former teen heartthrob were found during an investigation of the ring that illegally obtained prescription pads and used the stolen identities of doctors to fill them out.

"Corey Haim's death is yet another tragedy linked to the growing problem of prescription drug abuse," Brown said in a written statement. "This problem is increasingly linked to criminal organizations, like the illegal and massive prescription drug ring under investigation.""

This is yet one more reason why there needs to be more efficient electronic database records for prescription drug monitoring programs at pharmacies. Effective programs like that can help cut down on illegal prescriptions being obtained as a good preventative measure.

If you or someone you love is in need of a successful drug rehab progam for an addiction to prescriptions or other drugs, contact us today by calling 1-877-372-5719.

A Senate Report on GlaxoSmithKline was just issued outlining evidence that the company hid evidence that it new that it's diabetes drug Avandia increased risk of heart attacks. Even the FDA found that the drug was connected to to more than 80,000 heart attacks, yet they did nothing while GlaxoSmithKline raked in billions of dollars in sales for this drug.

When will the government and the public wake up to the fact that this isn't just some isolated scandal - it is THE NORMAL mode of operation for drug companies and the FDA. Create drugs, hide evidence that it kills people, make billions of dollars, pay off a few hundred million in fines and lawsuits and you still come out on top with a billion or more cash profit.

Even worse is that many of the conditions these drugs are prescribed for are caused be another drug someone was given for a false reason. Here is a not uncommon scenario: Joey has a hard time sitting still in science class and so he winds up getting falsely diagnosed as ADHD and prescribed Adderall. The use of Adderall causes severe mood swings and is addictive, his mother takes him to see his doctor who then diagnoses him as having deppression now too and gives him Effexor. The Adderall and Effexor create such a toxic environment in his body that he starts to have spells of violent outbursts and shutting himself in his room. Next time to the doctor he is suddenly found to have bipolar disorder and is given Zyprexa. Now this guy is so drugged up he can't function in life and is put on social security disability. He stays at home for years watching the Price is Right in his parents' basement because he has no drive to get a job when he gets a free check from the government each month (which also then picks up the tab for his prescriptions). As time goes on the Zyprexa causes weight gain and diabetes in Joey, and so his doctor puts him on Avandia. After anothr three years Joey winds up dead from a combination of overtoxicity to these drugs and heart failure. Killed by the pharmaceutical company, the doctor and the government - the current system that's in place.

Sound too outlandish? Start interviewing people on mental health disability and see what you find.

Prescription drug addiction is not the only problem caused by pharmaceutical companies that is ruining lives. This new Senate report is just one more glimpes of the bigger picture.