Report: Drug overdose deaths surge across US

[howbri]

I read somewhere that the US consumes close to 80% of the worlds opiate derived painkillers. This would include both legit users and recreational ones. Many people get injured and then addicted. Back pain was the main reason......Could be b.s. But I have known many people go down that sad path. As far as codeine being hard to get. I dont think its easy but it is availiable. Ten years ago here you could pretty much buy codiene at any pharmacy for next to nothing. In Cambodia it was easy to purchase ampules of moriphine and oxy.

Cambodia sells codeine OTC now.

[NickJ]

At the end of the day. Many people who would not ordinarilary get addicted to pain meds are getting addicted to pain meds....this in itself speaks volumes to the failure of health care in the US. ......I am a physician. and this problem to me is very heartfelt. Try walking in the shoes of a person who is in so. much pain that has no furrher avenues to explore other to maintain an addiction that they dont want.

From my POV. many of these people would do very well if they both got the proper help they need and deserve.

[Singerman]

America has for many years had a problem with both the prescription and the abuse of narcotic medication.

The issues are well known and have been the subject of on-going debate within the medical profession .

The use of narcotic medication is justified when used appropriately within the context of the practice of acute medicine.

However, the 'health care system" in the States, where care is sold for cash, has led not only to "doctor shopping " but inappropriate prescribing.

Chronic pain can be managed and often relief can be offered without resorting to narcotics. Such pain management is an area of Specialism and narcotic prescription issued by doctors practicing family medicine should only very rarely be required.

The States and its population must decide what they want, An ever increasing number deaths attributable to prescription medication or sensible, evidenced based control.

[Dumbastheycome]

At the end of the day. Many people who would not ordinarilary get addicted to pain meds are getting addicted to pain meds....this in itself speaks volumes to the failure of health care in the US. ......I am a physician. and this problem to me is very heartfelt. Try walking in the shoes of a person who is in so. much pain that has no furrher avenues to explore other to maintain an addiction that they dont want.

From my POV. many of these people would do very well if they both got the proper help they need and deserve.

Thankyou for that input because I understand it. It is not only the US that has this fail feature. The compromise of easy "med" treatment encouraged and promoted by pharmaceutical agents in the face of demands by patients and or their agents has dictated a slippery path downwards into the realm of dependant expectancy. Patients become customers in the wider scale legitimately or not because there is always a "source".

But too often Physicians get finger pointed whether they" do" or "do not" satisfy that expectancy.

[spiritrace]

We all know that it is global warming that is causing all these problems......

[Ulysses G.]

The majority of these drug ODs are Heroin, Smack, Horse.

Why would it benefit a country to legalize Heroin?

It is quite easy for opiate addicts to work and function normally if they can afford the drug. Methadone is nothing but synthetic heroin and millions of people take it every day, because they can't afford he real thing.

The main negative about heroin that causes so many problems is the price and it would be dirt-cheap if it was produced legally. Yes, it is addictive, but so are alcohol and cigarettes. Actually, heroin is much less dangerous than either of those drugs depending on how it is ingested.

Edited December 19, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[Seastallion]

The majority of these drug ODs are Heroin, Smack, Horse.

Why would it benefit a country to legalize Heroin?

It is quite easy for opiate addicts to work and function normally if they can afford the drug. Methadone is nothing but synthetic heroin and millions of people take it every day, because they can't afford he real thing.

The main negative about heroin that causes so many problems is the price and it would be dirt-cheap if it was produced legally. Yes, it is addictive, but so are alcohol and cigarettes. Actually, heroin is much less dangerous than either of those drugs depending on how it is ingested.

Absolute rubbish.

You should educate yourself before proclaiming such dangerous false information.

[retarius]

The dose-response curve on opiates can be steep, a tolerance is built up and it takes more to control chronic pain. Sometimes meds(NSAIDs, cox-2 inhibitors etc.) stop working and patients with a tolerance take more of the opiates in an attempt to control the pain to the point where the cns depressant effect makes their body just stop breathing. That's the downside of prescribing drugs which has a fairly low LD50.

I worked in the addiction field for quite a number of years. Many deaths are from people who have been or are in the process of trying to quit. They take a dose that would be ok for them when they were full-time users, but it kills them. Judging the doses when you have been off a while is treacherous.

[NeverSure]

I would like to see a breakdown of the causes of those deaths. Accidental, suicide...

I know this for a fact. In my state of Oregon a doctor may give these painkillers to a patient up to the point that it stops the pain. Doctors can tell when a terminally ill patient is dying as the organs begin to shut down in a predictable way. They can estimate the short time the patient has left.

I know for a fact that the doctors OD'd my mother to stop her pain when she was 93 and dying and in horrible pain. There was no hope for her except to ease her pain at the end. I knew they were doing it and I approved.

In my state doctor assisted suicide is legal in a case like that, but she wasn't coherent and never would have been so they asked me. I was her legal guardian. They didn't word it that way. They just asked me if I wanted them to give her enough to stop the pain as she was already dying. I told them to go for it. It was horrible seeing her in that pain.

Is that in those numbers?

http://www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/oregon/

[ClutchClark]

What allows so many to make crass comment is the lack of differentiation in the statistics between deliberate and accidental prescription over dose deaths.

If that differentiation was possible or clarified and thereby showed a dramatic increase in deliberate/ suicide deaths as opposed to accidental it would demonstrate a need to investigate the underlying causes either way.

Sadly such investigation will probably never happen. And for those families who are stigmatized by wrongfull crass commentary in the midst of the loss of a family member regardless of circumstance .......

Accidental overdose of prescription drugs? Seriously? How does that work?

"He misread the label and took the whole bottle instead of one pill daily"?

As for suicides, Certainly a percentage but did you not read the article?

America has gone to hell with all the drug abuse and it sickens me to see what drugs has done to my Country...nothing crass about it. Drug culture destroys families, destroys social fabric, kills innocent people on the roadways, contributes to domestic violence, finances drug cartels in Latin American countries who bring violence to local populations.

Anyone who is more sickened by a crass comment than these realities is in denial.

you be surprised how easy it is.

My best best friend dies a few months ago from accidental overdose,

a little more than a year ago he was involved in a very serious work related accident that should had killed him, He was very lucky to be alive but came out of it with a variety of injuries ad broken bones that required pins to heal

All the injuries were healing well, and was looking forward to a complete recovery and a multi million dollar insurance settlement.

Because of his injuries he was under some very strong pain killers, he was always forgetting if he took them and would want more, for that reason we had a dated pill box so he can see if he took them.

He also like having a few drinks,

A few months ago he went on vacation to his condo in Panama City FL , went t sleep and never woke up

The conclusion was that, he had a few drinks , got drunk and forgot about the pain pills he had take,

I was not there dont know what happen but the combination of Pain killers ad alcohol killed him.

He was only 50 years old and the nicest man you ever want to meet, We would watch the sunday football games together every year , This year I have not watched one game yet, just not the same

I would never have a friend like him again I miss him very much,

I am sorry for the loss of your friend...its never easy.

But alcohol AND prescription drugs should not be considered an accidental overdose anymore than Russian Roulette should be consodered an accidental discharge.

[Seastallion]

I would like to see a breakdown of the causes of those deaths. Accidental, suicide...

I know this for a fact. In my state of Oregon a doctor may give these painkillers to a patient up to the point that it stops the pain. Doctors can tell when a terminally ill patient is dying as the organs begin to shut down in a predictable way. They can estimate the short time the patient has left.

I know for a fact that the doctors OD'd my mother to stop her pain when she was 93 and dying and in horrible pain. There was no hope for her except to ease her pain at the end. I knew they were doing it and I approved.

In my state doctor assisted suicide is legal in a case like that, but she wasn't coherent and never would have been so they asked me. I was her legal guardian. They didn't word it that way. They just asked me if I wanted them to give her enough to stop the pain as she was already dying. I told them to go for it. It was horrible seeing her in that pain.

Is that in those numbers?

http://www.patientsrightscouncil.org/site/oregon/

Sorry for your loss and glad that your doctors were forward-thinking. My father died a lingering painful death because of religious zealotry amongst the hospital staff.

I suspect your mother's passing was recorded as a natural death. I can't imagine "overdose administered in the hospital" would have been recorded. She was, after all, already diagnosed as dying.

[rijit]

What allows so many to make crass comment is the lack of differentiation in the statistics between deliberate and accidental prescription over dose deaths.

If that differentiation was possible or clarified and thereby showed a dramatic increase in deliberate/ suicide deaths as opposed to accidental it would demonstrate a need to investigate the underlying causes either way.

Sadly such investigation will probably never happen. And for those families who are stigmatized by wrongfull crass commentary in the midst of the loss of a family member regardless of circumstance .......

Accidental overdose of prescription drugs? Seriously? How does that work?

"He misread the label and took the whole bottle instead of one pill daily"?

As for suicides, Certainly a percentage but did you not read the article?

America has gone to hell with all the drug abuse and it sickens me to see what drugs has done to my Country...nothing crass about it. Drug culture destroys families, destroys social fabric, kills innocent people on the roadways, contributes to domestic violence, finances drug cartels in Latin American countries who bring violence to local populations.

Anyone who is more sickened by a crass comment than these realities is in denial.

you be surprised how easy it is.

My best best friend dies a few months ago from accidental overdose,

a little more than a year ago he was involved in a very serious work related accident that should had killed him, He was very lucky to be alive but came out of it with a variety of injuries ad broken bones that required pins to heal

All the injuries were healing well, and was looking forward to a complete recovery and a multi million dollar insurance settlement.

Because of his injuries he was under some very strong pain killers, he was always forgetting if he took them and would want more, for that reason we had a dated pill box so he can see if he took them.

He also like having a few drinks,

A few months ago he went on vacation to his condo in Panama City FL , went t sleep and never woke up

The conclusion was that, he had a few drinks , got drunk and forgot about the pain pills he had take,

I was not there dont know what happen but the combination of Pain killers ad alcohol killed him.

He was only 50 years old and the nicest man you ever want to meet, We would watch the sunday football games together every year , This year I have not watched one game yet, just not the same

I would never have a friend like him again I miss him very much,

I am sorry for the loss of your friend...its never easy.

But alcohol AND prescription drugs should not be considered an accidental overdose anymore than Russian Roulette should be consodered an accidental discharge.

As well as being wrong That's a pretty crap thing to say. Go look at yourself.

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[rijit]

What allows so many to make crass comment is the lack of differentiation in the statistics between deliberate and accidental prescription over dose deaths.

If that differentiation was possible or clarified and thereby showed a dramatic increase in deliberate/ suicide deaths as opposed to accidental it would demonstrate a need to investigate the underlying causes either way.

Sadly such investigation will probably never happen. And for those families who are stigmatized by wrongfull crass commentary in the midst of the loss of a family member regardless of circumstance .......

Accidental overdose of prescription drugs? Seriously? How does that work?

"He misread the label and took the whole bottle instead of one pill daily"?

As for suicides, Certainly a percentage but did you not read the article?

America has gone to hell with all the drug abuse and it sickens me to see what drugs has done to my Country...nothing crass about it. Drug culture destroys families, destroys social fabric, kills innocent people on the roadways, contributes to domestic violence, finances drug cartels in Latin American countries who bring violence to local populations.

Anyone who is more sickened by a crass comment than these realities is in denial.

mate , u can't disagree with most of what you say, cos it does all happen.But looking at the route of the majority of what you say, is that its down to their illegality, take away that, and i suspect your solving at least half if not more of the problems you outline.

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Edited December 20, 2015 by rijit

[rijit]

Legalize and regulate all drugs, so that users will know exactly what and how much they are taking. That would help a lot. The war on drugs has been a complete failure.

When I was younger I would smoke weed with my friends, we all knew where to get it,

There was always a guy hanging out by the handball courts, if he was not there the basketball courts across the street on the school, etc etc

We would ask for a dime or nickel bag (I just dated myself )and the dealer would always ask what else we needed, black beauties, mesk , asid, etc etc

We had the good sense to decline, but I am sure, in fact I know, many did not.

That's one way pot can be a "gateway drug",

Legalize it, make it safe, remove the criminal element from it, collect taxes.

But of course you can't legalise all drugs,

Why? because some are truly dangerous !! if some one came out with a food that caused cancer, would yo make it legal? No, of course not,it causes physical damage to the consumer

That's why we have consumer protection agencies.

Then why would you make a drug product that causes physical damage to the consumer legal

I suppose it'll all boil down to education. If you take 50 asprins you know ie your education tells you , you may harm yourself. And as i understand. One the main issues in people getting damage from illegal drugs is they vary so much in strength and quality ,one standard product would help sort that out.

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all that you say is true,

but I bet that most these overdoses happen to kids who are too young to make educated decisions and are under pier pressure. IMO we need to protect our kids from predators.

Legalising some drugs can acomplish this goal by removing SOME of the predators, and regulating those involved

I am just a worried parent , that's all.

there's Many arguments that go towards legalizing drugs, and over the years I've swung between yes and no but really this war on drugs just can't go on its absolutely ridiculous. Stupidly expensive On every front. and a total failure IN EVERY WAY. Just a point

No, i think you'll find that most drug Over doses are not by children but by adults ie over 18. I say 18 cos they generally vote and die for their country then.

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Edited December 20, 2015 by rijit

[rijit]

Just imagine the effect on south and central America if drugs were generally legalized you'd probably instantly take a quarter of a continent out of poverty and how many civil wars would it stop,, even if it were one it Would be worth it.

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Edited December 20, 2015 by rijit

[Ulysses G.]

The majority of these drug ODs are Heroin, Smack, Horse.

Why would it benefit a country to legalize Heroin?

It is quite easy for opiate addicts to work and function normally if they can afford the drug. Methadone is nothing but synthetic heroin and millions of people take it every day, because they can't afford he real thing.

The main negative about heroin that causes so many problems is the price and it would be dirt-cheap if it was produced legally. Yes, it is addictive, but so are alcohol and cigarettes. Actually, heroin is much less dangerous than either of those drugs depending on how it is ingested.

You should educate yourself before proclaiming such dangerous false information.

I HAVE educated myself about this and what I have said is correct. Opiate users can and do function easily in society with a steady supply and many of them are medical doctors. YOU are the one who needs an education before running your mouth and it is not on just this one issue.

Q: Can Someone With Heroin Addiction Function in Life?

Some heroin addicts function somewhat normally for a while as long as their life is arranged to be able to take heroin several times a day. But for many people suffering from heroin addiction, much of their time is also taken up trying to find more heroin. Someone whos wealthy doesnt have too much of a problem with that. They have their sources and people who will make sure they have plenty. But the average person doesnt have a lot of money or a huge stash of heroin.

http://www.experts123.com/q/can-someone-with-heroin-addiction-function-in-life.html

Edited December 20, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[rijit]

The majority of these drug ODs are Heroin, Smack, Horse.

Why would it benefit a country to legalize Heroin?

It is quite easy for opiate addicts to work and function normally if they can afford the drug. Methadone is nothing but synthetic heroin and millions of people take it every day, because they can't afford he real thing.

The main negative about heroin that causes so many problems is the price and it would be dirt-cheap if it was produced legally. Yes, it is addictive, but so are alcohol and cigarettes. Actually, heroin is much less dangerous than either of those drugs depending on how it is ingested.

You should educate yourself before proclaiming such dangerous false information.

I HAVE educated myself about this and what I have said is correct. Opiate users can and do function easily in society with a steady supply and many of them are medical doctors. YOU are the one who needs an education before running your mouth and it is not on just this one issue.

Q: Can Someone With Heroin Addiction Function in Life?

Some heroin addicts function somewhat normally for a while as long as their life is arranged to be able to take heroin several times a day. But for many people suffering from heroin addiction, much of their time is also taken up trying to find more heroin. Someone whos wealthy doesnt have too much of a problem with that. They have their sources and people who will make sure they have plenty. But the average person doesnt have a lot of money or a huge stash of heroin.

http://www.experts123.com/q/can-someone-with-heroin-addiction-function-in-life.html

Just imagining a scenario where 'the world.' Confiscated and made caffeine illegal, lol

Absolute mayhem,,

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[Ulysses G.]

Or alcohol which is more addictive and destructive than heroin.

Nov. 1, 2010 -- Alcohol abuse is more harmful than crack or heroin abuse, according to a new study by a former British government drug advisor and other experts.

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20101101/alcohol-more-harmful-than-crack-or-heroin

[soalbundy]

followed by a reduction in the crime rate and large savings to social security.

I got a chuckle out of this, and gave you a like but....

it would be funnier if it was not so tragic, I have a beautiful just turned 20 years old daughter,

She is a popular girl and the woolfs are always sniffing around. I made mistakes and learned from them , and I am sure she will make mistakes also.

All part of life,

I trust her but that does not stop me from worrying. It seems that some of those mistakes have a higher propensity to being faital now days, or at te very least causing long lasting physical and mental problems.

Yes indeed, we all make mistakes, not only in our youth. The fine line between a happy outcome and disaster is down to luck, luck in having good parents, luck in having a good education and the right friends and luck in saying no at the right moment. I to have children and like you worry for their future but you cant live their lives for them, you can give them good tools but they have to build the house themselves.

[rijit]

Or alcohol which is more addictive and destructive than heroin.

Nov. 1, 2010 -- Alcohol abuse is more harmful than crack or heroin abuse, according to a new study by a former British government drug advisor and other experts.

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20101101/alcohol-more-harmful-than-crack-or-heroin

Yep, trouble is using the alcohol argument on legalising drugs can easily be countered by well 'we legalised Alcohol and look what a f--- skin mess that's turned into.

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[rijit]

Or alcohol which is more addictive and destructive than heroin.

Nov. 1, 2010 -- Alcohol abuse is more harmful than crack or heroin abuse, according to a new study by a former British government drug advisor and other experts.

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20101101/alcohol-more-harmful-than-crack-or-heroin

Or nicotine, a mate of mine lives. In Bulgaria and they banned smoking inside like the rest of the ec. A few months after there were some news making hugish anti gov protests, they reckoned they were about 'economics ' but mate reckons really it was about the smoking ban, huge huge nicotine addicts are the bulgarians, poor wee things.

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[Ulysses G.]

Or alcohol which is more addictive and destructive than heroin.

Nov. 1, 2010 -- Alcohol abuse is more harmful than crack or heroin abuse, according to a new study by a former British government drug advisor and other experts.

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20101101/alcohol-more-harmful-than-crack-or-heroin

Yep, trouble is using the alcohol argument on legalising drugs can easily be countered by well 'we legalised Alcohol and look what a f--- skin mess that's turned into.

How about "we tried make alcohol ILLEGAL and look at what a mess THAT turned into."

[Seastallion]

The majority of these drug ODs are Heroin, Smack, Horse.

Why would it benefit a country to legalize Heroin?

It is quite easy for opiate addicts to work and function normally if they can afford the drug. Methadone is nothing but synthetic heroin and millions of people take it every day, because they can't afford he real thing.

The main negative about heroin that causes so many problems is the price and it would be dirt-cheap if it was produced legally. Yes, it is addictive, but so are alcohol and cigarettes. Actually, heroin is much less dangerous than either of those drugs depending on how it is ingested.

You should educate yourself before proclaiming such dangerous false information.

I HAVE educated myself about this and what I have said is correct. Opiate users can and do function easily in society with a steady supply and many of them are medical doctors. YOU are the one who needs an education before running your mouth and it is not on just this one issue.

Q: Can Someone With Heroin Addiction Function in Life?

Some heroin addicts function somewhat normally for a while as long as their life is arranged to be able to take heroin several times a day. But for many people suffering from heroin addiction, much of their time is also taken up trying to find more heroin. Someone whos wealthy doesnt have too much of a problem with that. They have their sources and people who will make sure they have plenty. But the average person doesnt have a lot of money or a huge stash of heroin.

http://www.experts123.com/q/can-someone-with-heroin-addiction-function-in-life.html

Read what you pasted and try to understand that it is NOT support for your ludicrous position, but to the contrary.

While educating yourself, also look up the definitions (and implications) of "somewhat" and "a while", and especially "somewhat" combined with a caveat "as long as".

[Ulysses G.]

My position is that heroin/opiate users with a steady supply can function fairly normally. Users who can not afford the drug have big problems. The article supports that. Please broach the subject again when you have improved your reading skills considerably.

Edited December 20, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[Seastallion]

Or alcohol which is more addictive and destructive than heroin.

Nov. 1, 2010 -- Alcohol abuse is more harmful than crack or heroin abuse, according to a new study by a former British government drug advisor and other experts.

http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/news/20101101/alcohol-more-harmful-than-crack-or-heroin

Classic UG. Do a little bit of spin, here quite blatantly changing "more harmful" of his quote to "more addictive and destructive".

While educating yourself on heroin and it's dangers, English comprehension, and other matters, you would be advised to throw in some "Understanding statistics and interpreting reports 101".

From your quote, you should understand that the report looks at harm to society as well as to the individual. Try to understand that there are more alcoholics than junkies. Try to understand that if the study was done looking at the data per capita of users, heroin would top every list.

Also understand this bit from your link, "Heroin, crack, and crystal meth were the most harmful drugs to the individual, while alcohol, heroin and crack were the most harmful to others.". Wow, imagine that....heroin in top 3 of harm to the individual AND harm to others, while alcohol with it's much higher number of users is only in the top 3 of one category. I wish you could comprehend the implications of that.

[Seastallion]

My position is that heroin/opiate users with a steady supply can function fairly normally. Users who can not afford the drug have big problems. The article supports that. Please broach the subject again when you have improved your reading skills considerably.

Your position was made clear in post #1 of this thread, and clearer in post #37: "It is quite easy for opiate addicts to work and function normally if they can afford the drug. Methadone is nothing but synthetic heroin and millions of people take it every day, because they can't afford he real thing.

The main negative about heroin that causes so many problems is the price and it would be dirt-cheap if it was produced legally. Yes, it is addictive, but so are alcohol and cigarettes. Actually, heroin is much less dangerous than either of those drugs depending on how it is ingested."

"Function somewhat normally for a while" is NOT "function fairly normally", and also ignores the actual harm, regardless of how cheap the junk is, to the individual.

You have not provided any substantiation to your position that heroin is less dangerous than alcohol or tobacco, but you have shown that heroin is the most harmful to an individual...a fact you strangely insist on ignoring. I wonder why the denial?

[Ulysses G.]

You have not provided any substantiation to your position that heroin is less dangerous than alcohol

If you lock up a heroin addict and let them detox, they'll feel like absolute crap for a while, but that's about the lot of it. There's no danger at all, just discomfort. If you force a longtime alcoholic to quit cold turkey, there is a significant chance he'll become hypertensive, have a seizure, go into cardiac arrest, and DIE .

That is just the start. If ingested in a safe way (not injecting it), heroin causes very few physical problems. The high price, not knowing the real dosage or what the drug is cut with cause most of the problems. Legalization and regulation would solve those things.

Edited December 20, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[Seastallion]

You have not provided any substantiation to your position that heroin is less dangerous than alcohol

If you lock up a heroin addict and let them detox, they'll feel like absolute crap for a while, but that's about the lot of it. There's no danger at all, just discomfort. If you force a longtime alcoholic to quit cold turkey, there is a significant chance he'll become hypertensive, have a seizure, go into cardiac arrest, and DIE .

Oh, so the one is the less harmful than the other because if forced off it there is less danger.

Apparently.

I see.

Well that makes heroin deserve to be legalised then!

Oh, Brother!

[Dumbastheycome]

You have not provided any substantiation to your position that heroin is less dangerous than alcohol

If you lock up a heroin addict and let them detox, they'll feel like absolute crap for a while, but that's about the lot of it. There's no danger at all, just discomfort. If you force a longtime alcoholic to quit cold turkey, there is a significant chance he'll become hypertensive, have a seizure, go into cardiac arrest, and DIE .

Oh, so the one is the less harmful than the other because if forced off it there is less danger.

Apparently.

I see.

Well that makes heroin deserve to be legalised then!

Oh, Brother!

My understanding is that the OP is suggesting that opiate addicts can function adequately whereas alcoholics usually cannot. Couple that with the personal harm versus social harm evidence it would appear that opiates being illegal substances have a high price....and put users/abusers at risk for contamination or unregulated content. Restoring opiates to the same status as alcohol might reduce the associated social harm due to the criminalized aspects with its associated "enforcement" issues. I neither support or reject the proposal. I am just saying what I think I understand of it.

To my thinking I would prefer greater co ordinated and punitive enforcement for substances such as meth and crack. These create permanent personal harm and serious social harm very rapidly. And there are a greater percentage of them.

[lucky11]

Yeah well, no pity there, who ever indulge in drugs and OD on it he only has him/her self to blame...

Trouble is, a great proportion of deaths from these 'legal' drugs is from people taking the dose as prescribed by the doctor.

I don't take any form of pharmaceutical drug as I rely on vegetables, herbs, spices and minerals (all natural) to keep me healthy - no overdoses from these health maintainers - and they work better!!