Community | December 27, 2011 | 66 comments

The United States is the world's biggest users of psychotropic drugs.

source: http://rt.com/news/us-prescription-drugs-abuse-715/

MotherForTruth
The United States has a passion for pills, being the world's biggest users of psychotropic drugs, consuming 60 per cent of them. And pharmaceutical firms are keen to keep cashing in on the multibillion-dollar market, even if it costs people's health.

America is regarded as a country with a prodigious appetite for consumption. Today, a widespread fondness for pharmaceuticals has turned the US into a nation of pill-poppers.

With over $14 billion in annual sales, antipsychotics remain the top-selling therapeutic class of prescription drugs in the US.

Dr. Harriet Fraad believes Big Pharma has manufactured a climate of insanity by manipulating and even creating illness for capital gain.

“One of the things that drives Big Pharma is to find a diagnosis that is very vague, so that everybody can fall into that,” she told RT. “Everybody is sad sometimes. There are good reasons. The point is to market pharmaceuticals. And the advertising strategy is to have vague diagnosis and then find wiggle room so that they apply to everyone.”
The US is the only Western country that allows direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs. For example, an ad for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder warns that untreated patients will likely end up divorced. Another commercial promises to make you happier, but side-effects may include dry mouth, insomnia, sexual dysfunction, diarrhea, nausea and sleepiness.”

Critics also say Big Pharma uses its financial muscle to ply doctors with gifts, cash kick-backs and research funding in exchange for endorsing or prescribing the latest and most lucrative drugs.

Harriet Fraad says there is a whole network of doctors hustling these drugs.
http://rt.com/news/us-prescription-drugs-abuse-715/
“If a patient comes in with a knee injury and says, ‘I’m so sad.’ Oh, are you depressed? Hey write a prescription! They’re given out like M&Ms.”

Last year, prescription drug abuse became the number one cause of accidental death, with more than 30,000 Americans overdosing.

For instance, Seroquel, medication for bi-polar disorder, generated $4.4 billion in sales last year.Listing all its side-effects requires 49 seconds of air-time.

The number of children consuming antipsychotic medication has doubled in the past decade. Millions of American adolescents are taking drugs like Adderall, doled out by doctors to treat hyperactivity.

Author of Surviving America’s Depression Epidemic, psychologist Bruce Levine, told RT that, “All these drugs are very similar to illicit or illegal drugs, except they’re more dangerous. Marijuana is a little safer. But kids have no choice.”

Pfizer, America’s most profitable multinational pharmaceutical company makes anti-depressants not only for people, but also for animals. In 2009, the pharmaceutical giant paid $2.3 billion to settle civil and criminal allegations over illegally marketing one of its drugs. It was the largest healthcare fraud settlement and criminal fine in US history.That being said, the fine amounted to less than three weeks of Pfizer’s drug sales.

“The money is so huge that the fines are immaterial. They’re not thinking about the social effects of what they’re doing. They’re thinking about the profits they accrue,” says psychotherapist Harriet Fraad.

The pharmaceutical industry remains the most profitable business in the US. More success and financial gain for the companies will always remain possible as long as more Americans are encouraged to take drugs.
  1. groups:
    Community,   Health,   Current Cultural Issues,   Drugs,   5 more
  2. tags:
    US,  Drugs,  Children,  Big Pharma,  2 more
  3.     
    |

66 comments // The United States is the world's biggest users of psychotropic drugs. // Video

  • UrbanErudite
    • +1
      UrbanErudite  

    • I look at articles and reviews on our country's drug policy like this and still hardly bat an eye. I've been desensitized by the horrifying stories that travel from place to place over the United States' callous disregard for human life and profitability off our misery. The government is a joke, it is either incompetent or inept, we are made slaves to an exceptionally small amount of the population pushing the products and advertisements and the same song and dance that keeps us consuming things we don't need. In the meanwhile the barons are harvesting our resources like locusts and diagnosing diseases that don't exist.

      What the physicians often hold back is that many common health hazards are remedied by healthy diet and exercise. But that doesn't help them fill their prescription quotas, so it's bad for business. This world amazes me.

    • 5 months ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • PressCore
    • +2
      PressCore  

    • YAAAAAAHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYY ! I knew that despite the long down
      ward slide since 1965, the USA still had to be # 1 in something. Way to
      blow.

    • 5 months ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • PressCore
    • +1
      PressCore  
    • MotherForTruth:

      Humans will likely extinguish themselves as a species someday, ma'am. Not
      because they all want to be extinct. But because the sacred terms of " Liberty
      & Justice for all " fall on deaf ears to the greedy who want to use the excessive
      means they've stollen to enslave others. I watch the History channel a lot, and
      I'm convinced their TV series Ancient Aliens is dead on target. That humans
      only need 5% of their DNA to be human, because the rest is unused, likley as
      the result of ETs long ago geneticly engineering hominids to be their labor
      force before they left terra firma. Had they been more benign, perhaps they'd
      have paid more attention to evolving humans as ethical creatures with an innate
      sense of honesty & fairness. I've been told I'm superintelligent by many. But
      if I've learned anything along the way during the past 62 years, it's that it's
      the heads of humans that are the greatest bane of their existence. Were they
      to listen to their hearts they'd only hear one voice, clearly & simply to show
      them the way. But as it is now, even after thousands of years, we stand at
      different levels on a Tower of Babel, speaking in tongues to each other, in
      not that different a way than they did thousands of years ago.

      Yes, the USA has more people in Prison than any other country anywhere,
      disproportionate to it's population, as the national disgrace. They're there
      for drug crimes, which should never have been illegalized, and which were
      made to be criminal to develop a Prison Industrial Complex which takes in
      $2.3 Billion each year. That's $1 of every $1,000 the IRS collects from us.
      It's the reason why I'll be attaining dual nationality in the Netherlands. I've
      come to the point where it's not worth the persecution to have the fearful
      mindset the Prohibitionists have attempted to ply me with to ruin my life, as
      I too need medical MJ to survive. So the next vote I cast will be with my feet,
      and not my hands. I doubt I could stomach living in the USA more than 6
      months of the year after living happily there. Ironic isn't it ? The Netherlands
      likely has more windmills than anywhere else as a practical matter to power
      wind driven water pumps because they exist below sea level. Yet it's here
      in the USA where they tilt at windmills presuming they can interfere with the
      destiny of humans to naturaly medicate themselves to lessen the extreme
      demand which is making health care unaffordable to most people in the USA.

    • 5 months ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • PressCore
    • +1
      PressCore  
    • MotherForTruth:

      I'm not leaving the USA, ma'am, because I'm coming back. I'm emigrating to
      the Netherlands as my 2nd home. I've lived in New York for all but about 1
      year of my life. I've lived in Texas, Colorado, and Switzerland for a little under
      1 year. But I'm glad I moved to Switzerland to live during the Winter of 1979.
      They & the Netherlands have the best MJ public policy anywhere. I could live
      very well in either country. The why of it is that, also because I'm of Dutch
      descent on my dad's side of the family. His father was German, his mother
      was Dutch. So I might still have distant relatives there I'm not aquainted with.

      But in any event, the Dutch are much saner than average people are in the
      sense they're more tolerant, level headed, rational. I don't want to rule the
      world any more than they do. I only want to experience the Liberty & Justice
      which is my birthright in the USA. I would have experienced it all my life if I'd
      been born there. I'm certain of that. But noone can choose where they were
      born. Only where they can move to if they're lucky. And I'm that because I'm
      persistent. I've been wanting to move there since 1975. But it's not easy for
      a guy without means and with family. Most of my family are on the other side
      now. And by the last days of 2012, I'll have finaly acquired the means to buy
      my home of 10 years here, rehabed it, fenced it, preped it to have the walk
      shoveled & cleared of ice while I spend the Winter in a place warmer than
      New York. Amsterdam is on latitude 300 miles north of Syracuse, but it's
      usualy not as cold as CNY because it has a maritime climate, having so
      very much water inside the country which absorbs heat quickly but gives
      it slowly. The Winters there are usualy in the 40s where people ride their
      bikes year round. The Summers there get to be about 75-80 degrees as
      a rule as they're so far north, being on the same latitude as Montreal. I
      don't mind living in New York during the Spring and Autumn. But during
      the extreme seasons, I want to have a home where folks are moderates,
      and respect the privacy of others as they want others to respect theirs.
      As any Libra ascendant will tell you, it means everthing to balance things.

    • 5 months ago
  • gump
    • +2
      gump  

    • I had not read the comments befor I commented twice. I am glad you are all really up on knowing this terrible problem . Now you tell me what we can do to be effective at protecting humanity from this constant abuse . I am up for getting things done .

    • 5 months ago
  • MotherForTruth
    • +1
      MotherForTruth  
    • gump:

      Great question, Gump. Each of us should do everything and anything just do not take it sitting on the couch in front of the TV. I believe our only tool is to keep on calling media and not only write to your representatives but also post on the internet their responses.

    • 5 months ago
  • circlesquared
  • MotherForTruth
  • gump
    • +2
      gump  

    • In the fifties they experimented on children with meth . The results were so horrible that the parents got such activity outlawed . The pharma pushers came up with ritilan and kept destroying our young. I looked in an old PDR (physicians desk referance ) and found they had claimed there were NO SIDE EFFECTS TO METHAMPHETAMINE . That was because THEY WERE PUSHING THE CRAP ON LITTLE CHILDREN. I read an older book with a definition of methamphetamine psychosiss written pre world war 2 in germany . That definition went on for three and one half pages and was more terrifying than a weekend full of horror movies. Meth was illegal in Germany befor WW2 because it was well understood . But western civilization in USA found it to be JUST RIGHT for everyone under its control EVEN LITTLE BABIES . It is a window where we can see the " human " values of our ruleing class .

    • 5 months ago
  • gump
    • +2
      gump  

    • I believe strongly and deeply that most of the drug industry is used to crush and destroy human population to keep the population numbers down . And the money numbers going up to the ruleing class . Witness hundreds of years of drug dealing by western " CIVILIZATIONS ". The royals of England sustained themselves by sucking everything out of china and eventually driveing China into communism . Now the Bush Crime Family sustains themselves sucking life out of the USA and the world with thier CIA crack and heroin and let all regulation of legal drugs continue to be withdrawn . It results in fewer humans resisting thier global domination . A zombie world is just fine with them as long as the get to keep thier own minds clear and be the controlers . Deciders of life and death . They the zombie masters . We the helpless zombie hoards they can easily herd or slaughter at will . That is why I occupy .

    • 5 months ago
  • MotherForTruth
    • 0
      MotherForTruth  
    • gump:

      While the internet is still available to Americans we can do more exposing. Let's show up in front of our representatives, ask the questions and post their responses online.

    • 5 months ago
  • Leen61
  • MotherForTruth
  • Leen61
    • +2
      Leen61  
    • MotherForTruth:

      You're welcome and thanks for the link you left, MotherForTruth. I have heard of Texas being one of the states that have unsafe water as it is...but now this? Jeeze....none of us are safe. As I say, they are always looking for new ways to kill us.

    • 5 months ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • Leen61
  • WildestHorse
    • +1
      WildestHorse [removed]  
    • Leen61:

      AlterNet is not exactly what is known as
      a "peer reviewed" professional journal with
      research citations/supportive back-up for
      various claims. It might be important to
      consult some of those professionally
      peer-reviewed publications. That's what
      people in the field do--rather than to rely
      on tabloid journalism. Just a suggestion. . . .

    • 5 months ago
  • LivingPong
    • 0
      LivingPong  

    • The stuff makes you trip balls, natural drugs never made me hear voices or induced delusional states of mind. After being prescribed the crap for a while I now can't take any drugs, sucks dude, only coffee and tea. Now if I drink booze I want to kick the legs out from under abusive wife beating jerks and dislocate their shoulders, so I don't drink any more, just buy stuff with their credit cards and send it to random addresses. Your profession or nickname is not a password people, and heck I don't even need that when you leave your wallet behind after drinking everything in the house and abusing your hosts! Psychotropic drug voices said it was all cool man, everyone uses default wireless passwords and no one ever notices you've replaced their logs, let alone look at them. But that may of never happened, I have pretty vivid dreams. At least know I stopped taking that Psychotropic crap, or did I, wait I'll ask Barney Rubble, he always seems to know what the hell is going on.

    • 5 months ago
  • gump
    • +1
      gump  
    • LivingPong:

      Great write livingpong . It is all too real for all too many victims of the drug industry . I got a good laugh also . But please don't let too many of those dreams come true . Keep out of jail. Everyone needs concerned tallented people like you . Out here on the street . Not locked up .

    • 5 months ago
  • Ambill94
    • +1
      Ambill94  

    • I think it is clearly rediculous that employers do drug testing for street drugs, but prescriptive drugs get a pass...since the 60s, and the mainstreaming of drugs like valium, the workplaces in this country have been full of adicts and nothing has ever been done to stop or curb that situation...there has never been a war on prescription drugs...we are so screwed up and big pharma will keep it that way unless people wake up and stop copping to the legal highs...

    • 5 months ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • Ambill94
  • MotherForTruth
    • 0
      MotherForTruth  
    • Ambill94:

      You bare right. Big pharma is the one who promotes the drug testing of potential employees so they can be switched to measured and controlled medicating of the population - the "legal drugs".

    • 5 months ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • HarukoHaruhara
    • -1
      HarukoHaruhara  

    • I can believe this. I think clinical depression is a very serious problem, but I think too many doctors prescribe psychotropics when people are "feeling down."

    • 5 months ago
  • BoichikSuperJew
  • WildestHorse
    • +1
      WildestHorse [removed]  
    • HarukoHaruhara:

      "Feeling down" is a lay term for depression.

      Contrary to your gross over-generalization,
      physicians (and mental health professionals)
      have a lot more selection criteria before prescribing
      psychotropics for depression. But, the SSRIs are
      known to be not only efficacious, but also necessary
      in certain instances.

    • 5 months ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • Leen61
    • +1
      Leen61  
    • MotherForTruth:

      Thank you MotherForTruth. This same person told me I was full of it for posting that AlterNet article. I was not. There is truth to the article. In fact, Cenk talked about this last night on his show except he got the info from Slate. This person must be a shrink or in the big pharma business. Why else would WildestHorse be so hostile? Shrinks are some of the biggest drug peddlers there are.

    • 5 months ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • Leen61
  • freehit
    • +2
      freehit  

    • Do you say to yourself, I don't want to go in today to that dead end low paying job? Do you just crash on the weekends after work? Do you feel tired before going to bed? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a life threatening condition that our new pill, "kashkowferus" will fix right up! Run into your doctors office RIGHT NOW and demand that he gives you a perscription for "kashkowferus" and start feeling better within days! (Side effects may include: dick drop off,eye rot infections, tooth fall out syndrome,hair loss, cancer of all varieties,gangrene of the foot, anal warts, herpies of the nose, and financial ruin.)

    • 5 months ago
  • Leen61
  • OlBlue
    • +1
      OlBlue  

    • We're #1 We're #1 We're #1!
      Seems like every other commercial on tv is pushing a drug, prompting you to ask your doctor if "Fuckitall" is right for you. Six months later there's a lawyer commercial saying that if you took "Fuckitall", you may be able to sue the manufacturers of "Fuckitall". I just shake my head and contemplate suing my dealer for excessive seeds.

    • 5 months ago
  • circlesquared
  • OlBlue
  • circlesquared
  • OlBlue
  • nardo1224
  • EmperorThan
  • circlesquared
    • +1
      circlesquared  
    • EmperorThan:

      all are our new economy....no more hiding it, just profiteering and control of the masses. Once you've been put through the system you will never get out....you are money or you are jailed and then you are money. BS

    • 5 months ago
  • cantucwearebrothers
  • MSII
    • +2
      MSII  

    • Worked with a teenager a couple years ago, he said the line at the nurses office for the doping up of the teens for their "attention deficit" was very long (he said around the corner, down the hall). He supposedly had it too, which was b.s, he was just like the rest of them no doubt just regular teenagers. This is all about money and control. It's just as obscene as the stories of when (not that long ago!) they used to lobotomize for, oh just about any issue, including what would now be classified as "a.d.d", that is, regular kids being regular kids - but the parent(s) wanted them to be more "manageable" (zombified). I read a actual case from the hey-day of lobotimies of a regular kid being lobotomized for just this reason, the person who had ended up the "care-giver" because of the parents death didn't want to have to deal with the child being a child. It makes me literally sick-to-my-stomach to read these kinds of things! The truly deeply -EVIL- things people will so commonly do, because society allows, approves, encourages, sanctions...

    • 5 months ago
  • circlesquared
    • +2
      circlesquared  
    • MSII:

      they are after the kids, they are the next generation and if they can be brought in line with drugs and video games there will be no one questioning the powers that be...society may all those things you said, but humanity does not and it's most definitely time for that to change.

    • 5 months ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • MotherForTruth
  • Leen61
    • +3
      Leen61  

    • This is quite a racket. Push pills that nobody needs and who cares who dies from taking them. But this is all about money. That's why this country will never have universal health care and will never legalize pot in any form. Doctors today are nothing but drug pushers in white lab coats.

    • 5 months ago
  • circlesquared
    • +2
      circlesquared  
    • Leen61:

      those pills are also full of fluoride whether it counteracts the purpose of the drug or not...they are calcifying the pineal gland to keep us from seeing....guess it's working for most people cause they are still on the couch.

    • 5 months ago
  • Leen61
  • MotherForTruth
  • Leen61
  • KB723
    • +4
      KB723  

    • Big Pharma has a way of creating a disease so they can market their products, I am always surprised when you hear the bad things that can happen if you use their products and more often then not they have not even passed the FDA standards, hence you will hear about 'Class Action' lawsuits on TV...

    • 5 months ago
  • jeffissleeping
  • KB723
  • MotherForTruth
  • MotherForTruth
  • MotherForTruth
  • circlesquared
  • MotherForTruth
  • circlesquared
  • maasanova
  • MotherForTruth
  • circlesquared
more from Community:
from the community

top videos