This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
The Drugging Of America Summarized In 19 Mind-Altering Facts
Submitted by Michael Snyder of The American Dream blog,
The American people are the most drugged people in the history of the planet. Illegal drugs get most of the headlines, but the truth is that the number of Americans that are addicted to legal drugs is far greater than the number of Americans that are addicted to illegal drugs. As you will see below, close to 70 percent of all Americans are currently on at least one prescription drug. In addition, there are 60 million Americans that “abuse alcohol” and 22 million Americans that use illegal drugs. What that means is that almost everyone that you meet is going to be on something. That sounds absolutely crazy but it is true.
We are literally being drugged out of our minds. In fact, as you will read about below, there are 70 million Americans that are taking “mind-altering drugs” right now. If it seems like most people cannot think clearly these days, it is because they can’t. We love our legal drugs and it is getting worse with each passing year. And considering the fact that big corporations are making tens of billions of dollars peddling their drugs to the rest of us, don’t expect things to change any time soon. The following are 19 statistics about the drugging of America that are almost too crazy to believe…
#1 An astounding 70 million Americans are taking legal mind-altering drugs right now.
#2 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, doctors wrote more than 250 million prescriptions for antidepressants during 2010.
#3 According to a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic, nearly 70 percent of all Americans are on at least one prescription drug. An astounding 20 percent of all Americans are on at least five prescription drugs.
#4 Americans spent more than 280 billion dollars on prescription drugs during 2013.
#5 According to the CDC, approximately 9 out of every 10 Americans that are at least 60 years old say that they have taken at least one prescription drug within the last month.
#6 There are 60 million Americans that “abuse alcohol”.
#7 According to the Department of Health and Human Services, 22 million Americans use illegal drugs.
#8 Incredibly, more than 11 percent of all Americans that are 12 years of age or older admit that they have driven home under the influence of alcohol at least once during the past year.
#9 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is an unintentional drug overdose death in the United States every 19 minutes.
#10 In the United States today, prescription painkillers kill more Americans than heroin and cocaine combined.
#11 According to the CDC, approximately three quarters of a million people a year are rushed to emergency rooms in the United States because of adverse reactions to pharmaceutical drugs.
#12 According to Alternet, “11 of the 12 new-to-market drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration were priced above $100,000 per-patient per-year” in 2012.
#13 The percentage of women taking antidepressants in America is higher than in any other country in the world.
#14 Many of these antidepressants contain warnings that “suicidal thoughts” are one of the side effects that should be expected. The suicide rate for Americans between the ages of 35 and 64 rose by close to 30 percent between 1999 and 2010. The number of Americans that are killed by suicide now exceeds the number of Americans that die as a result of car accidents every year.
#15 In 2010, the average teen in the United States was taking 1.2 central nervous system drugs. Those are the kinds of drugs which treat conditions such as ADHD and depression.
#16 Children in the United States are three times more likely to be prescribed antidepressants as children in Europe are.
#17 A shocking Government Accountability Office report discovered that approximately one-third of all foster children in the United States are on at least one psychiatric drug.
#18 A survey conducted for the National Institute on Drug Abuse found that more than 15 percent of all U.S. high school seniors abuse prescription drugs.
#19 It turns out that dealing drugs is extremely profitable. The 11 largest pharmaceutical companies combined to rake in approximately $85,000,000,000 in profits in 2012.
In America today, doctors are trained that there are just two potential solutions to any problem. Either you prescribe a pill or you cut someone open. Surgery and drugs are pretty much the only alternatives they offer us.
And an endless barrage of television commercials have trained all of us to think that there is a “pill for every problem”.
Are you in pain?
Just take a pill.
Are you feeling blue?
Just take a pill.
Do you need a spark in your marriage?
Just take a pill.
And most Americans assume that all of these pills are perfectly safe.
After all, the government would never approve something that wasn’t safe, right?
Sadly, what most Americans don’t realize is that there is a revolving door between big pharmaceutical corporations and the government agencies that supposedly “regulate” them. Many of those that are now in charge of our “safety” have spent their entire careers peddling legal drugs to all of us.
We have become a nation of drugged out zombies, and it is all perfectly legal. The funny thing is that many of these “legal drugs” have just slightly different formulations from their “illegal” counterparts.
If more Americans understood what they were actually taking, would that cause them to stop?
Perhaps some would, but for the most part Americans are totally in love with their drugs and giving them up would not be easy.
Just ask anyone that has tried.
»
- 62846 reads
- Printer-friendly version
- Send to friend
- advertisements -
Get well. If you take Azithromycin, probably the next that your Doctor will suggest, be aware that one of the Side Effects is that it elevates Blood Pressure.
If you are prone to hypertension then it may be a fatal choice.
Thank you TT. I just do not like popping pills or going to the doctor much. I only get low grade hypertension when I actually DO go to the average doctors. I have my own blood pressure measuring device and I made sure it was calibrated by the doctors and they did not not like it much when I asked how they knew their instruments were properly calibrated. I did not buy the cheap one and I do have a degree in biological science and plenty of lab expierence. I am fine when I am not around them. They are politicians if you ask me and rather lazy.
I told Mrs. M to measure my blood pressure for several days in a row and record the results against hers. I was just fine and she could not believe the accuracy of the device. Let's check again in 20 minutes I said. Still good. Her's was still low. This went on for a couple of days. It was a repeatable experiment in a controlled evironment. Then I finally told her that I was going to think about central banking policies, government official executive orders and medical doctors. I damn near hit 200/160 and that blew her mind.
They are the ones killing us in the first place because it is clear that they are just guessing and prescribing things. They do not want to do any lab work and who knows who is in the lab running that? Do we have a sterile evironment or are you just taking DNA samples? These "doctors" do not like it when you know more about your condition more than they do. Then they try to use big words but they do not like it when you know bigger words than they do.
I like throwing in there the question if this drug is an http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcholinesterase_inhibitor All, doctors should know what cholinesterase is so it should not be a hard quesion to answer. I don't expect any ZHer to know what that is but they should know to ask now. I took a lot of chemistry classes.
Unless yu are drinking a glass of red wine every day - Id quit the daily drinking, and the obsession with sports doesnt look healthy either.
so, bullish big pharma stocks?
Asshat.
Maybe for once in your life stop looking for an angle that enriches yourself. Sometimes there are problems that need to be fixed and fixed fast or society gets hurt.
Had you been around the day after Pearl Harbor had been attacked, your first response would have been, bullish on bullets and shipbuilding with nary a concern about much beyond that.
sorry you are sarcasm challenged dumb fuck, but this is an investment web site, is it not? Go back to momma's basement and get all self righteous now like a good dork.
So which is it sarco-boy? OTOH you claim sarcasm, but on the other you defend your earlier comment. That's because you have no foundation. You'll say whatever you think gives you the advantage.
I stand by what I wrote. You didn't stand by yours...and then you did...or you didn't. What next? A little more of both??
Nice little rant. I give it a 9.875. :)
LOL. It was a runt rant after all.
Actually those that were Bullish on War Industries leading up to, then following, the events of Pearl Harbor did very well for themselves and their progeny.
War is a fact of life. (Oh I know that the USA was a bellegerant. Spare me a lecture about that which I know.)
Now you can choose to suffer through the decisions of others, decisions that you personally find Morally DISGUSTING. (I agree that War is Morally DISGUSTING.) These, of course, are decisions which you had no control over. BECAUSE, IN THE LONG RUN, YOUR VOTE DOES NOT COUNT AND NEITHER DOES MINE.
Or you can choose to make the best out of a SHITTY HAND OF CARDS THAT WAS DEALT TO YOU. You can choose to take the God Damned Lemons and make Lemonade.
Let me awaken you asshat. THERE ARE NO POLITICAL SOLUTIONS.
NEITHER YOU, NOR I, CAN SOLVE "SOCIETY'S" PROBLEMS. THERE IS NO SOLUTION.
I have learned that it is as AFFECTIVE to BANG MY HEAD UPON THE WALL as it is ATTEMPTING TO SOLVE WHAT CANNOT BE SOLVED.
So the best that you can hope for is TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND THE ONES WHOM YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR..IF YOU CAN DO JUST THAT.
IT IS NOT EASY.
Because IF YOU DO NOT DO THAT THEN YOU BECOME PART OF THE PROBLEM.
If you have not figured it out yet YOUR SOCIETY IS DEAD. It is only being kept alive as a ZOMBIE through the massive INFUSION OF Quantitative Easing.
But the organs are FAILING. THERE ARE NO SOLUTIONS and the PATIENT WILL DIE as EVERY ORGANISM DIES. That is just the Natural Order happening. YOU CANNOT STOP IT.
Your Society is ALREADY DEAD. THERE IS NO FUCKING HOPE.
You might as well just accept it and choose to take care of yourself.
You don't care soooo much that you write in caps hoping someone will listen to you, you selfish little twit.
I'm all for self preservation. It is not the same thing as selfishness. Sometimes we need to think and do more than just for our selfish selves.
BTW, nobody said anything about voting except you. This isn't about voting. It's about a sick society that is collapsing in on itself from too many toxic drugs.
Taking care of yourself to the exclusion of everyhting else will leave in in zombie land. Keep popping those pills - you'll be one of them.
I do not give a fuck if you read it or not. I use ZH to vent.
It is collapsing on many more fronts than drug abuse.
BTW..The only pills which I use is Ibuprofen...ADVIL. I rarely drink. I do not use Pot or any other illicit substance. (I have in the distant past. But I grew up.)
Zombie Land IS ALREADY HERE. LMAO.
BTW..AS for the United States...
Collapse baby collapse.
I want it to die. The corruption is a Cancer and it is already dead.
Editted. I do Inject megadoses of Veternary Penicillin....MASSIVE DOSES...evrey now and then...to combat Lyme Disease. That is not every day.
Antibiotics promote cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's.
There are natural antiparasitics and natural antimicrobials.
In fact, just about every herb has antimicrobiall properties to one extent or another.
Advil is hardly a benign drug.
PS. You want the greatest form of government on earth to die?? To be substituted with what?? You'll get your death, all right.
Yes, Kelley but even you would take the full prescribed regimen of Pharma antibiotics (or generics) if you were unfortunate enough to contract gonorrhea.
Absolutely not!
Freshly grated herbs are far more powerful than antibiotics, plus they don't cause over 100 diseases like antibiotics do.
Everyone who has commented here has missed the point of the article bigtime...probably because half of you are ON at least one drug already.
When someone starts taking prescription drugs, one drug leads to two, and two drugs leads to three, and so on.
This means if 70% of us are on a prescription drug (not me!) then it will only be a matter of a few years before 70% are on multiple drugs.
In addition the Wall Street Journal reported 15 months ago that 30% of all teens are on AT LEAST one prescroption drug LONG TERM. In 10 years, they will be on multiple drugs.
What does all this mean? It means that the number of invalids will be INCREASING to a point where our society can no longer take care of itself!
This won't be that far down the road. I'd give it ten years. That is, by the year 2024, the US could be so weak and ill, that we are likely to be taken over or destroyed.
This is no fucking joke. Y'all are like a bunch of drunks singing and laughing in the graveyard not realizing you'll be there next. It's pathetic.
Do you think that we do not know that?
YOU CANNOT ESCAPE DEATH. Nobody can. So what are you suggesting?
THERE ARE NO POLITICAL SOLUTIONS.
It reads as if you are still in Denial. What are you promoting? Fear? I have accepted it. Hell I do not even think that the USA will be intact for three years.
My prognosis is for Three months to Three Years. Three years is an outside chance.
What? Do you want me to shiver in my boots at he prospect?
LMAO.
We are all headed to the Graveyard. Even you. You need to accept it. The Patient has Terminal Cancer. There are no solutions.
Are you going to let your Death Sentence freeze you in fear? Shit.
I will Uparrow you because you are right. But there is nothing that can be done.
That is where you are not getting it.
We are writing the Requiem for a Great Nation on ZH. It helps us to cope with the dismal end.
No one suggested we try to escape death. What a ridiculous leap you've made by inserting that canard into the discussion.
Nor did I suggest the government get involved. Once again that was your own flight of fantasy.
And no, I don't think most people are aware of the implications of all the prescription drug use that is going on. You do, and that's a good thing.
Sometimes awareness leads to a cure, although I agree with you that the chances of that in this case are dismal at best if at all. I don't see it happening, but I will never give up doing my part to slow it down or change the pattern all together.
Between the drugs people take and the GMO's in our dead food, the US is on its last leg.
The sad thing is there might not be another country like ours for a hundred or a thousand years. The planet will turn into an even more horrid place to live with no escaping. In the past people escaped to the US. But it will be gone.
Actually one drug leads to 3 and 3 lead to 7. Each drug causes side effects that need managing. A cascade failure.
You are so right.
With 70% of the population and 30% of teens on prescription drugs the future of the country is coming to an end.
At present, each invalid requires several people to take care of them. They need nursing, physical therapy, housekeeping, medical care, food preparation, transportation.
Some require someone to be with them at all times, someone to feed them and bathe them, and lift them out of bed.
Then there are the bed ridden.
We are heading to a point where too many people need these sorts of care. The shortages of care are already here to some extent. The ability to pay for it has already shown itself to be more than we can bear.
We must learn to improve our own health naturally and learn it on a mass scale quickly. Will that happen? Look at the responses, I'm getting for bringing it up. There's not a chance will we save ourselves before it is too late as a nation.
Maybe one day the people who watch Dr. Oz will create a critical mass of awareness, and society will wake up. It's doubtful, though.
You didn't do those drugs! Somebody else made that happen!
removed
So are people on drugs while posting here?
It would explain some of them
Most of them appear to be.
What's wrong with drugs?
Actually we need more drugs. A lot more drugs. Also new and more effective mind-altering ones.
The matter of fact is humanity has drugged itself for most of it's history. From shamans using psychedelics to induce visions, to opium used for physical and emotional pain, not to forget alcohol massively abused by all strata of society for thousands of years. Also, drugs is the past (most which have been banned), were far more effective than legal modern drugs. Late 19th century and early 20th century saw such wonder drugs as cocaine and heroin being used as cure-alls and elixirs. In 1900 you could walk in a pharmacy and purchase 1 gram of 99% pure cocaine hydrochloride for $1. Then in the '50s they had methamphetamine and barbiturates. In the '60s hippies had widespread access to LSD, mescaline, and psychedelic mushrooms. Nixon ruined all the fun in 1970 with the War on Drugs. As if that was not evil enough he then set the stage for the slow destruction fo the US economy in 1971 by going off the gold standard.
The fact is that for the vast majority of the world's population for most of mankind's history life sucked and was miserable. Using drugs to relieve suffering and angst of human condition is the only reason that keeps many from giving up on life altogether.
The rising rate of suicide merely shows the completely neurotic nature of life in modern society. Add to this the fact that legal drugs are more expensive and much shittier than in the past. One can use illegal drugs for more effective options but these are of unknown impurity at highly artificial elevated prices.
Not only should we legalize all drugs, be we should free research by removing the massive wall of red tape that prevents psychopharmacology research on humans. Abolishing the FDA and DEA would be a good start.
Only madmen could keep on living a sober life in this upside-down insane world.
Only madmen could keep on living a sober life in this upside-down insane world.
300 doctor visits and finally I get a solid diagnosis.
By any chance was it "hypochondriac?" ;-)
I dunno, after the first one hundred visits, I would have looked elsewhere for help besides M.D.'s, but that's just me.
All my brothers, sisters & cousins are either drug addicts or alcoholics. In their 50s now, they're all bloated, blotchy and brain damaged.
Thought they could get away with it. Oops!
This is a curious aspect of American society and it has been since 1600.
Per capita adult alcohol consumption was 5+ drinks PER DAY until 1930. This is why Temperance and Prohibition came about.
Women got the right to vote, and instantly voted themselves money from the public treasury (taxes increased) and voted to control the freedom of others (ban booze).
19th C. had all sorts of hucksters selling potions doing door to door rural sales, and every single one of those concoctions had one or more hard drugs in them.
The USA has always been a nation of drunks and druggies, much more so than other nations. I have heard the freedom argument, but other societies allow drugs and people simple choose to not do them.
It's not one of the USA's better qualities...
If people want to get fucked up nature provides great ways to do so without many harmful effects. All they have to do is go out into the forest and pick up their favorite drugs. Maybe sow some seed while they're at it. A lot of problems could be avoided by using what nature provides instead of synthetics.
My favorite big pharma drug name..."Abilify"
Coz it's gonna abilify my abiliteez.
Mind the side effects...considering it's supposed purpose:
edit: and from the official site:
You have depression...so you pop a pill with the possible side effects of suicidal thoughts. What a country!
Something similar will happen if you take regular doses of Advil long enough and then quit.
Hmmm, the above figures on those taking meds would help explain the Tsy prices, as well as the S&P's high levels.
Also, check out Ben Goldacre's work on big pharma.
Moderation is the key. Most enlightened people do use some sort of mind altering drug.
good for business - it is irrelevant that these drugs solve any problems
keep eating pills folks - much like the cigarette business
This could explain why we haven't had revolution 2.0 under this regime.
BTW, when the shtf and these drugs become unavailable what sort of crazed mobs are there going to be?
While watching one of the millions of ad's encouraging Americans to "visit their doctor" about getting the latest and best drug available, I had an interesting thought. It appears that we are on our way to giving everyone that wants them the latest mood drug, or anything that will create an up beat and positive buzz. The article below delves deeper into this subject.
http://brucewilds.blogspot.com/2012/07/mood-altering-drugs-for-everyone....
Making a Killing: The Untold Story Of Psychotropic Drugging. Full Documentary Film: http://99getsmart.com/?p=2930
Nature is beautiful and cruel
Even the most experienced Dutch "Head" knows when to put the joint down.
Once I can go to the store & buy an oz of the finest kind without red tape, I'll stop my scrips. Although I like adderall
The United. States consumes 99% of the world production of hydrocodone. On 2011 the number one prescribed drug was hydrocodone. A decade agp a WHO task force report it was a patiemt roght to be ftee from pain n doctors were admonished for under treating pain. Now the DOJ persecutrs, er prosecute doctors for over prescribing yhe crap. Now w obamboozle care, u qill see middle level probiders and not a board certified physiician for ur healthcare amd these providers lnow little compated to a board certified physician about drugs. good luck if u need healthcate on Amerika .
The only reason that stuff is popular is because the combination preparations, with extremely toxic Tylenol, are C-III and can be prescribed over the phone, with refills. Its not exactly a very good medication, and the fact that they mix it with Tylenol borders on the criminal.
I like drugs. Bullish!
Is religion a drug? I am recoverying from my former life in the church.
Religion is the evilest of all drugs. You trade living this life to the fullest in exchange for an imaginary promise in the afterlife. Kinda how 401k's operate as well. Give your money to Wall Street now and you will have more later when you retire. Hmmmm.
be careful what you say. The author of this article is quite religous in case you didn't know.
"doctors wrote more than 250 million prescriptions for antidepressants during 2010."
It occurred to me with all the shootings being done by "crazy" people, gun control will happen when they first get millions on antidepressants, then don't let anyone who takes them be able to own a firearm.
The term addiction is bullshit. It is a habit. Regardless of whether it is oxy or picking your nose.
I agree 100%. All they gotta do is quit drinking, smoking, gluttoning and doping. How hard is that?
The term "addiction" is socially corrosive and designed to enrich the medical profession. Really. No sarcasm.
Do not use any pharmaceuticals. Commercials for prescription medications are as prevalent as tobacco ads in the 60's. How is that different?
Aspirin is going to help alleviate pain. A cup of coffee is going to help relieve some stress. A cigarette can be calming too.
Humans have aches, pains, contract diseases, illness, develop malignant neoplasms in every organ, so it is an easy decision to use a substance that can alleviate symptoms caused by disease, illness, cancer, etc.
You can't blame them for wanting to seek some relief from time to time.
They call it that Ol' Mountain Dew and them that refuse it are few
I'll shut up my mug if you give me a jug of that good Ol' Mountain Dew
Oh, the buzzards in the sky get so dizzy they can't fly just from sniffin' that good Ol' Mountain Dew
The Hopi would feed Jimson Weed to unruly braves to cure their meanness.
http://depressionisachoice.com/
I remember reading, Britain On The Coach, some years back which looks into our western worlds of abundance yet more and more people are suffering despite this abundance. Depression, breakdowns and meltdowns etc.
Many people it seems are having a human reaction to living a life they don't really want to be living.
Have courage and work towards doing what you really want to be doing. People are often conned ( peer pressure, manipulation ) into pursuing / becoming something they must be . But really, perhaps the path to inner peace, wellness and happiness is remembering who you already are, and having the courage to live that, your life.
I understand big pharma intend to increase adult vaccinations these coming years, so do your own research before accepting any medications, vaccines etc.
Make an informed choice and remember to ask your friends now and then how life is going. No doubt with increased awareness one sees suffering all around. You can't take ownership of everyone elses problems and maybe the state the western societies are in, are symptomatic and are the effects of extreme psychotic capitalism.
Solutions ?
This goes hand in hand with the previous post Tyler around living unsustainable lifestyles. The problem with pharmaceuticals is the same as the problem with alcohol. They are socially acceptable and so they are used with reckless abondon. Not that it is a whole lot different than illegal drugs but the "pain versus pleasure" behavioral priciple is all you need to know. We seek pleasure versus pain.
Life itself is chemistry. However when we tamper with the chemical reactions that make us who we are and allow us to live in harmony with our planet then this can be a problem. The simple reason is we don't know any long term effects of these new drugs. There exists a reckless expansion of our pharmaceuticals in our society right now. In a tiny little town like I live in (of less than 5000) there is soon to be a fourth major pharmacy opening. We didn't need two let alone four however there is scarcely an add in the jobs section these days that doesn't list pharmacy assistants, pharmacy helpers and all these sub specialists that have been built up around this industry. Like the oil industry to implemement change would be very difficult now because of the number of jobs that people would lose and of course these unemployment statistics simply don't bode well for our politicians. After all what will people do????
You know, we could never come up with healthier ways to make money and to produce meaningful products that enhance rather than harm people's lives. The argument of the pharmacist is the same as the fast food owner. We are changing lives and we are giving people what they want. Hitler could have said the same thing. He had good intentions too.
THE FIVE O'CLOCK NEWS HATED DRUG COMMERCIALS SONG
Lyrics by Exartizo
(Sing to the tune of "Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay" by Otis Redding)
Sittin' here watchin' the news
Damned drug commercials givin' me the blues
Watchin' the Bon iva Bimbo Bull
Just what The Hell is she tryin' to pull?
My TV's on at five thirty every day
Hopin' my cholesterol and blood pressure stay
Low enough to avoid Caduet any way
It's just a shame what they're tryin' to say
It's a crime what's on the news today
Ya can't buy the damned drugs anyway
Its just your doctor whose got the cure
Your "pipes" are just screwed up, he's so sure
You know that Vesicare's on his mind
Internal plumbing drugs are easy to find
Just pop that little pill on the news
And you'll never ever pee on your shoes
I left my home to find more
headed for the pharmacy door
The guy there told me to "get lost"
Wouldn't sell Cialis at any cost
What the hell good is that any way?
When you're really trying hard to get laid
TV news drug commercials really are lies
The Bastards really don't care if you die
Just as long as they get their money
They're happy and they think its so funny.
Oh yeah, sittin' here watchin' the news
Damned drug commercials givin' me the blues
Watchin' the Bon iva Bimbo Bull
Just what The Hell is she tryin' to pull?
Props! Great job!
it's all about perspective.
"We have become a nation of drugged out zombies..."
unless you're committed, who forced you to take it?
how about a positive drug story?
Sure.
Obama fell down a flight of stairs.
When the doctor tested him for cocaine, he was positive.
Drugs don't kill people -- doctors do.
This sums up American over consumption and addiction....watch and enjoy....funny shit!
http://youtu.be/WEdXRsC3UYg