PharmaSUITicals

Since I recently got cable, I have been noticing the large number of pharmaceutical drug ads. They depict these people with common problems, like depression and insomnia, and have this simple solution for them, in the form of a pill. At the end of the commercial, side effects are given in a clear manner. The side effects are usually horrible, like heart attack, stroke, and other life threatening problems. Now I know some side effects can be predetermined by a doctor, and the pill can actually be very effective when prescribed right, but my problem with pharmaceutical companies is their priority of business over ethics.

Drugs go through tons of testing to be passed by the FDA. They are tested in groups of animals, single patients, small groups of people, and then they are given final analysis before put into production. It's the fact that unethical lobbying and other questionable actions that go on during this process. Big business has too much power in legislation and it gets by too easily. When it starts to deal with people's safety is when I get angry.

I recently watched a documentary called The Union: The Business Behind Getting High. The documentary deals with the business behind marijuana. It gives an overview of all the current legislation in Canada for Medical Marijuana, and the legislation in the US for Medical Marijuana as well. There is a culture part of the documentary that provides a nice background for the two sides of this war between supporters of legalization of marijuana, and those who are opposed. I became extremely frustrated when they pretty much factually proved that the sole reason why marijuana is not legal or regulated is the fact that pharmaceutical companies do not want to lose money.

This left me scratching my head. You mean to say that drugs like oxycontin, vicodin, and anxiety medications that I have seen friends ruin their lives with are legal? What gives you the right to blatantly insult Americans by saying marijuana is illegal because it's a gateway drug, or it's health risks. There are studies that show marijuana has no health risks besides the effects of smoke inhalation (not cigarette smoke inhalation). To top it off hundreds diseases can be aided by use of marijuana. In the documentary, they showed a man with Muscular Dystrophy, and he could barely talk or pick up things from all of his shaking. A person helped him smoke a bowl of weed and the change was amazing. He could speak clear, and he wasn't shaking as much.

I just can't get over the fact that there are so many substances in our world that have a much more severe effect on people's health that marijuana and it is still illegal. The worst, however is that powerful white men in suits are doing as much harm to people as the drug dealers on the streets.


IMDB link to The Union: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1039647/

-RAHB

How to have a proper conversation.