Are Prescription Drugs America's New Addiction?

Most of us think that drugs which come out of a legal manufacturer are going to be safer than those being sold by a dealer on the corner. That was once the case. But with the deaths of Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger and Anna Nicole Smith, it has become clearer by the day that prescription drugs are fast becoming America's new obsession.

Rush Limbaugh, a man who once called for drug addicts to be sent to prison, found himself hooked on Oxycontin, which is considered a form of legalized heroin. College students are also getting in on the act by abusing a drug called Adderall, typically used to treat ADHD symptoms. The drug intensifies the students' ability to study, allowing the student to focus for long periods of time.

My campus, Syracuse University, was the focus of a recent CNN report on the use of Adderall. Given that one of our graduates wrote a best-selling book called "Smashed," about her extensive drinking experience on campus, I was under the impression that alcohol was the only guilty pleasure of our students. But it seems that along with alcohol, there are some other things students might choose to do when they are not taking my class.

Out of concern for my students, I decided to do a bit of research on Adderall, to determine if science is aware of any long-term effects of using a drug that is not meant for people who don't have ADHD. It should also be made clear that Syracuse students are not alone in their use of drugs and alcohol, since over 23 million Americans abuse one or the other. So, I spoke with Dr. Elaina George, a prominent physician out of Atlanta, who had quite a bit to say about the use of Adderall and other prescription drugs as of late.

"Unfortunately, like many other prescription drugs such as Xanax, Valium, and Oxycontin, which have become easy to get on the Internet and on the black market, its ubiquitous use has taken away the fear factor, said Dr. George, who went to Princeton with Michelle Obama. "There is little regard for the potential side effects such as heart problems, stroke, tremors, and addiction."

Has our society become a drug culture, in which the marketing of any old drug on television leads us to believe that the drug is safe? This might be the case, according to Dr. George, who feels that pharmaceutical companies have now been allowed to exploit potential addictions within the American public.

"In fact both prescription drugs and over the counter drugs have been reduced to quick fixes that are used to 'make a problem go away'," says Dr. George. "There is a pervasive feeling that if it is a prescription drug or if it is sold over the counter, then it must be safe. This has been encouraged by the aggressive direct to patient marketing by the pharmaceutical industry."

When it comes to the use of prescription drugs, the bottom line is this: The pharmaceutical industry should be put under control. Their excessive lobbying has given us a pile of legislators who don't have the ability to stand up to the industry as these companies work overtime to replace the pushers on the corner. Additionally, we as Americans should push back against an industry that is teaching us and our children that taking a pill will make everything go away. The pill might get rid of one problem, but it's probably going to create another.

The video about the drug Adderall is below if you'd like to see it:

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and a leading African American Speaker. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.