Sad Irony Of The War On Drugs: Prescription Drugs Are The Biggest Killer Of Them All

[Ganjarden]

One huge irony in the debate over the 'war on drugs,' including the legalization of medicinal marijuana, is that the largest number of deaths that occur in this county due to drugs are not caused by dangerous narcotics, such as ******* or ******, nor even alcohol or cigarettes, but prescription drug mix-ups.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, about 1.5 million, or nearly 1% of our population experiences "adverse drug events" in the United States. The FDA's belief is based upon a 2007 study commissioned by the Institute o Medicine, which estimated that in addition to the toll on the patient's life, these events cost around $4 billion every year.


The FDA has respondend by encouraging doctors and other profissions to identify drugs that lead to potential problems, but this should also be the FDA's concern and responsibility. The FDA has stated that it will hold private readings, through Dr. Janent Woodcock's comments, diretor of the FDA's Center for rug Evaluation and Research.

The FDA stated that it will also scrutinize the information on drugs that are given to patients, including package inserts, labels, and instructions provided by dispensing phamaces.

All of these moves by the FDA are a positive sign, but they fail to admit that drugs like Tylenol, which can cause liver damage, are more lethal than marijuana or other alternatives. This type of hypocrisy that keeps the war on drugs alive, and the prescription and over-the-counter businesses booming.

Unfortunately, this gives rise to the question of whether the FDA really has patients in mind, when it fails to explore less-lethal alternatives to the pain-relief and other methods in existence to combat disease or psychological conditions.


News Hawk- Ganjarden 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: Examiner.com
Author: Cedric Severino
Contact: Examiner.com
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Website: Sad Irony Of The War On Drugs: Prescription Drugs Are The Biggest Killer Of Them All

 

[Oddnonsmoker]

Re: Sad Irony Of The War On Drugs: Prescription Drugs Are The Biggest Killer Of Them

All of these moves by the FDA are a positive sign, but they fail to admit that drugs like Tylenol, which can cause liver damage, are more lethal than marijuana or other alternatives. This type of hypocrisy that keeps the war on drugs alive, and the prescription and over-the-counter businesses booming.

Ironic that they should mention Tylenol (aka paracetamol, acetaminophen) in this article. Paracetamol and cannabis both work with the endogenous cannabinoid system. One of the main metabolites of paracetamol is an anandamide (the body's main endogenous cannabinoid) uptake inhibitor. For those who aren't well versed in medical literature, this means that it prevents the body from reabsorbing anandamide, effectively raising the level of anandamide between neurons. In this way, it is similar in function to Prozac, only on a different neurotransmitter system.

THC and other phytocannabinoids are direct agonists of the cannabinoid system, meaning that it the body treats it like it is its own anandamide. Staying with the serotonin system, one could say that it is similar to sumatriptan, a common migraine medication.

So if somebody thinks that cannabis is bad, tell him/her not to take Tylenol, 'cause it works on the same neurotransmitter system.

 

[Caber1]

Re: Sad Irony Of The War On Drugs: Prescription Drugs Are The Biggest Killer Of Them

Unfortunately, this gives rise to the question of whether the FDA really has patients in mind

If the FDA has patients in mind then I'm going to start believing in Santa again.

 

[Funboy]

Re: Sad Irony Of The War On Drugs: Prescription Drugs Are The Biggest Killer Of Them

The FDA is probably more concerned with the lobbying multi-billion dollar drug companies and people with political aspirations. Perscription drugs can save lives, but when you have to take a dozen pills to try an mitigate all the adverse side effects (like death, rectal bleeding, liver and kidney failure, etc...) of the primary medication you are probably doing more harm than good.