madbook ~

DRUG WARS
Medical marijuana is bad but forced pharmeceutical drugging of kids is good? | Oh I get so confused | Perhaps because Dubya and Tom Ridge get mega-dollars from Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis AG, AstraZeneca PLC, GlaxoSmithKline, and Eli Lilly, there's some connection here | In contrast, I doubt that the erstwhile growers of Mendocino County's [and probably Hawa'ii's] largest cash crop are forking over their dollars to fund these guys |
     I've been meaning to do something on the move from the Bush Administration to first "assess" kids in public schools for "mental illness" [is a similar move going on with applicants to Phillips Exeter Academy? to name but one] and so this entry is way overdue |
     Really, it isn't all that much different than the stunts that Dr. Fred Goodwin [formerly with the NIMH] tried to do with the much ballyhooed Violence Initative | This race-centered project was later criticized as a thinly disguised attempt at diagnosing African American youth as prone to mental illness and violence |
     Only, this time, it's not just kids in trouble, nor is the mere diagnosis of someone with a psychiatric disorder the complete problem |
     No, this go-round, the drug companies seem so intent on pushing their product, that they are less concerned about public safety and welfare | Targeting the poor, [who would have difficulty protesting when doped up to the max] these new initiatives effectively endorse the "...widespread misuse of psychotropic drugs in ...state mental health system[s], ...correctional system[s], and Juvenile welfare system[s]..." around the nation [USA].
     In a lawsuit filed recently in Pennsylvania, Dr. Stefan Kruszewski pointed out the indiscriminate misuse of psychotropic drugs in ...institutionalized people is "unsupported by clinical studies or any viable evidence to support their recommended use." The drugs whose use he disputes include Neurontin, Paxil, Geodon, Risperdal, Seroquel, Topamax, Trileptal and Zyprexa.
     Already Risperdal and Zyprexa are known to assist in someone "converting" to diabetes and, [where I work at least] some licensed clinicans freely speak [in front of the rest of us who work with them, but certainly off the record] about Neurontin as "virtually worthless." | So, the circumstantial evidence mounts that with Dubya, Inc's tacit support, the push to drug his opposition and future generations is one more deceitful ~and deplorable~ practice |
     Oh for a breath of fresh air!

posted by Will Brady @ 23:46