PRESCRIPTION NATION

America has turned the drug culture of the 60s and 70s into the
prescription drug frenzy of today. I cannot watch television without
seeing at least one prescription drug commercial per show.

Prescription drugs are useful against illnesses, but some commercial
prescriptions are treatment drugs for "ailments" that should be fixed
with better will power.

Two mental ailments that are over medicated are attention deficit
disorder and male confidence issues. I believe there are some children
that honestly have an attention deficit. Everyone else is a victim of
Saturday morning cartoon programming. Ten minutes of program followed
by five minutes of commercials followed by another ten minutes of
program for several hours over the span of a childhood can render some
ill effects on trying to stay focused.

The other batch of drugs that needs to be rationed out is male
enhancement pills. Whatever happened to the idea that believing in
yourself will give you the greatest confidence? If confidence comes in
pill form sold by Bob, whose smiling face is permanently fixed due to
the lack of blood reaching his facial muscles, then chivalry is
turning in its grave.

Open drugs are the ones on the low end of the spectrum. Caffeine must
be the most sold, low-grade speed drug. Salvia is interesting because
it creates psychedelic effects but is legal in some states. Other
interesting drugs are anything that can be made out of household
products. America's restrictions have produced a band of self-trained
chemists.

Illegal drugs are the black sheep of the drug family, but in a sad and
practical reality, any substance can be abused and harmful. Let us not
forget the woman who died in January 2007 from a water overdose in a
radio station water-drinking contest. People have their vices, and
they will find a means of meeting the demands for them. The only
problems created are the restrictions.

People can commit heinous acts on others while on narcotics, but some
of the most evil acts against others come out of greed and corruption.
The heads of Enron were a prime example. The restriction against drugs
also creates one of the biggest problems for U.S. drug traffickers.

Drug related crimes and mafias exist because of restrictions. If all
drugs were legalized and handled correctly by the government, as seen
in the 1933 film Gabriel Over the White House, then the state would
beat out all competitors and would probably create revenue out of it.

North Carolina recently gave into fueling gambling addictions and
creating additional school funding by starting the lottery.

People can and will find their fixes, whatever they may be. Drugs and
stimulants of all kinds surround many aspects of life. If humans have
been able to live with available narcotics up until the last 100
years, then where does the sudden fear of a drug-ridden country come
from?