Also most doctors genuinely care about the well-being of their patients. Unfortunately, they are among the most brain- washed and intimidated people in DEAland.

The juxtaposition of the two items here creates a context for the medical marijuana debate that is only possible on the Internet. It is a context that the prohibitionist establishment does not like.)

August 30, 1999
From The Denver Post
letters@denverpost.com
http://www.denverpost.com
By John Hendren-AP

3 BILLION RX ORDERS TO BE FILLED THIS YEAR

NEW YORK - Americans are delving deeper than ever into their medicine chests, with nearly 3 billion prescriptions expected to be filled this year, according to a pharmacy trade group.

Consumers will buy an estimated 2.97 billion prescriptions this year, 9 percent more than the 2.73 billion they picked up last year, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores said in a report Sunday.

Prescription sales could jump to 4 billion before 2005, said Robert W. Hanna, the group's interim president and chief executive.

Pharmacists, drug makers and consumer groups attribute the rise to an aging population, increased advertising and an expanding array of medicines that target "lifestyle" ailments such as insomnia.

'Absolutely Deluged'

Among new drugs sold this year are American Home Products' Sonata sleeping pill, a Glaxo Wellcome influenza fighter called Relenza, the Hoffman La Roche fat-blocker Xenical, and Plan B, a "morning-after"anti-pregnancy pill to be distributed by the Women's Capital Corp.

Community pharmacies account for 63 percent of prescription drug sales in dollar terms — a projected $76.6 billion this year. Prescription drugs also are sold at nursing homes, hospitals, prisons and via mail order.

"We've been absolutely deluged," said Lowell McNichol, who mans the Safeway drug counter in Petaluma, Calif. "We have drugs available now for things we couldn't treat five, 10, 15 years ago. So we use them."

Among the fastest-selling new drugs are so-called cox-2 inhibitors, a new class of painkillers often referred to as "super-aspirins."

See
HHS Rules That California Patients Have A Right To Adequate Pain Medication
– Context For Medical Marijuana
and
ABC News Medical Writer Strongly Backs Medical Marijuana,
Blasts "the irresponsible, indefensible and unforgivable tactics
used to prevent people in severe pain from using marijuana as a medicine."
and
Aspirin And Related Drugs Are 15^th Leading Cause Of Death In DEAland
Context For Medical Marijuana

Antidepressants Top Sellers

Antidepressants are among the top-selling drugs, with 17 percent more prescriptions this June than in June 1998, according to NDC Health Information Services, which tracks drug sales. Nearly one out of every three anti-depressants sold is Eli Lilly & Co.'s Prozac, one of the oldest drugs of its class.
See
Indianapolis Star Reports: "Eli Lilly Doing Spin Control After News Oregon Shooter Took Prozac"
and
What If the Colorado Shooter Had Been Using Marijuana Instead Of A Pharmaceutical?
Two Different Standards.
and
Prohibitionist Oregonian Paper Takes Objective Look at Prozac Use By Kids; Almost A Million Take Anti-Depressants
(Marijuananews note: "An estimated 800,000 children and adolescents nationwide last year were prescribed antidepressants such as Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft, according to IMS America, an industry research firm that surveys physicians. Another half a million children, aged 6 to 12, were prescribed Tegretol and Depakote, two adult antimanic, antiseizure drugs, the firm’s data shows. And in 1996 some 3.25 million in that age group were prescribed drugs such as Ritalin to control hyperactivity, IMS America says. Controversy or no, such drug use by kids in the general population is at least monitored by parents and physicians."
From  California Caretakers "Routinely Drug Foster Children;" Great Journalism;
We Are All Kept In A Chemical Straightjacket

Copyright: 1999 The Denver Post

August 30, 1999
From The San Francisco Examiner
letters@examiner.com
http://www.examiner.com
http://examiner.com/cgi-bin/WebX

"POOR-MAN'S PARADISE' IS A GOOD, CHEAP ANTI-DEPRESSANT

During the recent controversies over medical marijuana prosecutions in Placer County, I have been surprised by the absence of depression from the list of serious diseases that marijuana helps.

Like so many chiropractors, I'm in favor of medicating only the few most awful, life-threatening depressions. Chiropractors view pain, emotional or physical, as a friend telling us what needs to be changed and motivating us to get moving. Drugs just cover up the problem, in this case a depressing life that needs changing.

However, for those who don't or can't take the time, get to a counselor, spend the money, do the effort, feel the pain and change what must be changed, or for those who have just drawn some really bad cards in life's game of chance, depression can be a life-threatening illness.

Those people should have available the cheapest and most effective anti-depressant medication there is. For many, that is clearly marijuana. The Hindus didn't call it "poor-man's paradise" for nothing.
See
Mademoiselle Magazine Features Long Article On The Importance of Medical Marijuana For Women

H. Gordon Ainsleigh, Meadow Vista