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Taber T. Fellows
Friday, July 11, 2014
Prof. James Celestino
Ameria is being o!er"mediated
A#nowledging t$at t$is is truly no"one%s fault but t$e $ild%s un"eduated $oies is
surely a ma&or fare. 'e are t$eir aregi!ers, t$eir adult figures, and t$eir (rofessional roll"
models. T$erefore it is our res(onsibility to monitor and try to maintain t$eir be$a!iors in $o(es
of (re!enting so many $orrible deat$s from ta#ing (lae. )any aregi!ers, (arents, and
(rofessionals ali#e $a!e argued, t$ere is (roof of Amerians o!erdosing t$emsel!es. *egardless
of t$e user%s age, t$ey%re still someone%s $ild, so now we #now w$y ot$ers say, not a dro(, not a
to#e, or not e!en a fi+,
-otors laim t$ey are only allowed to (resribe neessary le!els of mediation to (eo(le
beause of laws, and for year%s dotors $a!e been saying alo$ol, affeine, and niotine are all
$ig$ly additi!e &ust li#e oaine, $eroin, met$, and mari&uana. )ari&uana is a gate"way drug for
user%s to mo!e u( into $ig$er more deadlier drugs, li#e $eroin, met$, oaine, and (resri(tion
(ain (ills, su$ as o+yodone, .+yotin, met$adone, mor($ine, and odeine &ust to name a few.
)or($ine and ot$er o(iate (ain relie!ers are deri!ed from t$e o(ium (lant/ its sa( is
e+trated from its (od, and is used to ma#e t$ese drugs, and many ot$ers0 mor($ine, odeine,
(ro(o+y($ene, met$adone, $ydromor($one, me(eridine, $ydroodone, o+yodone, .+yotin,
Tramadol, and -emerol are all .(ium based drugs made from ($armaeutial om(anies, t$ere
are also t$e main soure of t$e $ig$ly additi!e street drug, #nown as $eroin. 1t too is a !ery
effeti!e (ain relie!er, it%s far $ea(er t$an any (resri(tion (ill/ $eroin is a naroti, beause it
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(rodues a da2ed and onfused state of narosis, w$i$ is a dream"li#e state auses massi!e
redution in t$e ner!ous system.
'$ile many dotors try to $el( t$eir (atients, dotors reali2e t$at most (atients not
om(letely trut$ful wit$ t$em, t$ey deei!e dotors so t$ey ontinue to (resribe, and (ro!ide
t$em wit$ t$e (ills t$ey want, so t$ey an e+"$ange t$e (ills and trade t$em in, for different
ty(es of (ills or drugs, t$us allowing t$em to reei!e t$eir (leasure"fi+es.
'$et$er Amerians are o!ermediating t$emsel!es or not t$e o!erall ma&ority, say
mari&uana is not a (art of t$at (roblem, and in fat some dotors say it $el(s om(ensate t$e
more additi!e mediations being used. )r. Clarene Page is a syndiated olumnist for t$e
C$iago Tribune. 1n $is following !iew(oint, Page argues t$at mari&uana is far less dangerous
t$an tobao, alo$ol, $eroin, met$, oaine, and (resri(tion drugs, all of w$i$ are not legal for
onsum(tion. 1n fat $e asserts t$at it is less dangerous t$an t$e abo!e mentioned. '$y3 'ell,
beause no"one $as e!er died from a mari&uana o!erdose before e!er...
1n addition mari&uana itself is a (ain relie!er, for nausea (atients t$at $a!e $ad
$emot$era(y for t$eir aner, sei2ures from e(ile(sy, and multi(le"slerosis. T$ere are many
ot$er reasons w$y dotors (resribe mari&uana to (atients, li#e suffering from daily disomforts
of 4lauoma, and Fibromyalgia, and $roni (ain &ust to name a few. )edial mari&uana $el(s to
relie!e your (oor 5nle or Aunt t$at suffers from being terminally ill. 6e 7)r. Clarene Page8
asserts, t$at dotors s$ould (resribe mari&uana to t$ese ty(es of (atients/ Page onludes t$at
legali2ing mari&uana would (ut an end to all t$e unneessary !iolene, and most street gangs.
An+iety, de(ression, bi(olar, s$i2o($renia, A-6-, Posttraumati 9tress 9yndrome, are
all mental"illnesses t$at re:uire antide(ressants to aid in balaning (eo(le w$o suffer from a
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$emial imbalane. Antide(ressant (ills are legal drugs. T$ey are (ro!ided to (atients w$o
suffer from mental illnesses, t$ey are (resribed by dotors, and sometimes 9tate funded
agenies, t$at $a!e a medial staff t$at is :ualified to do write (resri(tions to (atients.
.ur (roblem isn%t from t$e drugs t$emsel!es/ it%s t$e (leasure t$at omes from ta#ing t$e
drug itself, (leasure is t$e basis of addition. 9o it would seem (leasure ould also be t$e
solution, and be addited, you see for t$e addit to sto( using, one must remo!e or ta#e away t$e
drug, and to t$e addit t$at%s ta#ing away t$eir soial networ#, t$eir identity, and t$e one and
only t$ing t$at ma#es t$eir life easier to deal wit$.
)any addits referred to t$eir self delusional usage as <it%s my mediation= and if you
ta#e t$e drug away from t$e addit, often times you $a!e a (erson w$o feels !ery inseure,
inferior, s$ameful, and !ery si#, rendering t$em, ill"e:ui((ed to negotiate t$eir way t$roug$ t$is
world. '$ile $a!ing (oor soial s#ills, la#ing (ro(er eduation, and $a!ing t$e soial stigma of
being branded as a drug addit a (erson wit$ t$is inurable disease, only adds to t$eir beast of
burdens t$at t$ey belie!e t$ey%re faed wit$ daily.
T$is is w$y !ery few addits, e!er see# $el( or treatment/ w$ile addits ontinue to fae
t$ese $oies t$ey ontinually deei!e t$emsel!es, saying it%s easier to get $ig$ t$at (leasure fi+
again, and forget about life for aw$ile t$an it would be to get $el(, besides w$o wants someone
yelling at t$em and telling me w$at is rig$t or wrong for me t$ey don%t #now me. 6owe!er after
t$e drug%s effeti!eness wears off, t$e user feels si# and needs more to eliminate t$e (ainful
si#ening feeling t$at o!er ta#es t$em, and t$e only way for t$e addit to feel better is to use
again, and again, and again t$at%s true Addition.
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As t$e drug users ontinues to feed t$eir bodies wit$ t$is so alled feel good stuff, t$eir
bodies begins to t$in# all on its own saying its needs more. 9o t$e addits gi!es it more, in order
to feel good again, t$en in return it auses t$e addit to o!er"mediate, and t$at leads to a dee(er
addition, t$en unfortunately >?@ of t$em end u( o!erdosing t$emsel!es on aident, and t$ese
unneessary deat$s of $ildren, or ot$er family members, or friends, and our neig$bors, die.
T$ousands of mindless unneessary atastro($i o!erdoses are ta#ing (lae far too mu$
in t$e Aee$i!e 9tate/ our $ildren $a!e fallen !itim to t$is inreasingly sorrowful e(idemi.
Bosing a $ild to (resri(tion (ain (ill addition is !ery sad indeed, but worse t$an t$at, o!er"
mediating t$em is too. '$y3 Aeause it auses t$em to see# out for t$e same ty(e of ($ysial
release t$ey got from t$ose ot$er one (resribed (ain relie!ers, (rofessionally #nown as t$e
neurologial eu($oria $ig$. .ur #ids begin $asing t$is feeling, sear$ing frantially to reei!e
(ain relief and t$ose feel good feelings t$at were one felt during a real need, due to some ty(e
of in&ury t$ey sustained some$ow somew$ere.
As t$ese $ains of e!ents ontinue to ta#e (lae it s$ows us t$e main reason w$y (eo(le
are trying $eroin, met$, oaine, o+yodone, and ot$er strong narotis. T$ese drugs are t$e
leading ause of t$eir aidental o!erdoses, so it is bleatingly ob!ious t$at we <t$eir (rofessional
onerned aregi!ers= must some$ow sto( t$ese sorrowful, unfortunate, and unneessary deat$s
from $a((ening. 1n onlusion, w$ile all of t$ese !oies $a!e a strong !alidity wit$in t$eir
arguments stand (oint, it%s ob!ious to me t$at t$is is a to(i of great urgeny, and needs to be
addressed sooner t$an later. 6ow many more li!es need to be lost in t$is manner3 1 belie!e
w$ate!er side you stand on, if we all (ull toget$er and eduate t$ese unfortunate drug abusers we
will $a!e great suess in reduing t$is e(idemi, and $o(efully in time end its e+istene all
toget$er.
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Work sited
Aeall, Pat. <Ta+ )oney $el(s Pill )ills T$ri!e/ )ediaid (ays for .+yodone0 Aut a 9tate
ageny down(lays o!erall Presri(tion totals.= Palm Aea$0 0. )ar$ 2012. ProDuest newsstand.
'eb. ? July 2014 E $tt(0FFsear$.ProDuest.omFdo!iewF929040?;C3aounidG2>H?1I
In his lengthy prescription trend Dr. Perper, a Florida local doctor was arrested
in 2011 during a pain clinic sting operation; Dr. Perper approximately prescribed 2
doses per day, to !edicaid oxy prescribers. "he #act that oxycodone is the state$s
leading cause o# prescription drug deaths, this narcotic has been the most identi%ed
drug in the states high&pro%le prosecutions, 'xycotin is currently declared enemy
(o. 1 by Florida law en#orcement. "he doctors who were arrested in the 'xycodone&
related charges are the )ellington brothers, who ran a pain pill networ* prescribing
doses o# 'xycodone, being billed to !edicaid #rom +anuary 2010 through 'ctober
2011.
,ddicts may bear some o# the responsibility #or helping run up the 'xycodone
numbers. -ut they can$t do so without these doctors. ./ doctors prescribed more
than 100,000 doses. 0picer represented the #amilies o# three patients who
o1erdosed a#ter getting prescriptions written by one o# the high&1olume prescriber
o# oxycodone to !edicaid patients.2 102,000 doses lin*ed to 3eorges while being at
the helm o# the largest pill mill operations in the country. )ellington$s 4hris and +e5
3eorge, their mother and 26 others, including 17 doctors, were all charged in
,ugust with rac*eteering, money laundering and other crimes. (ine 869 o# those
doctors prescribed 102,0:1 oxycodone doses paid #or by !edicaid. Dr. 3erald +.
;lein, a surgeon who prescribed ,710 doses, #aces %rst&degree murder charges in
the o1erdose death o# a 2<&year&old pain clinic patient.
In this 1ery compelling yet credible news article it has become clear to see
that is has become a ma=or problem in ,merica and o1ermedicating. In my essay I
state #acts such as this, and other articles li*e this one to show the magnitude o# its
se1erity, and the un#ortunate tragedies that come #rom it. "hese people who
become 1ictims o# pain pill addiction o#ten wind>up being s targets o# other
unnecessary deaths.
3et #acts straight about pain*illers. 8201<, +ul 0/9. -u5alo (ews ?etrie1ed
#rom http@AAsearch.proBuest.comAdoc1iewA1/<70..77CaccountidD2:.1
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*esear$ suggests (ain mediations may do somet$ing to desensiti2e t$e way your brain
and s(inal ord inter(ret (ain signals. 1n addition to treating t$e (ain from aute in&uries, a small
fration of $roni (ain (atients see im(ro!ements in bot$ (ain le!els and funtion from ta#ing
(ain mediations, es(eially w$en ot$er (ain management te$ni:ues fail for t$em. *esear$
suggests (ain mediations may do somet$ing to desensiti2e t$e way your brain and s(inal ord
inter(ret (ain signals. T$e more you ta#e, t$e better t$ey wor#0 )ore does not e:ual better. T$is
may be true in t$e s$ort term, but after a se!ere in&ury/ for e+am(le, two (ills may be more
effeti!e t$an one at relie!ing t$e (ain. Aut o!er time, ta#ing too mu$ ba#fires. *esear$
suggests (ain mediations may do somet$ing to desensiti2e t$e way your brain and s(inal ord
inter(ret (ain signals. JKou de!elo( a tolerane to t$e mediation o!er time, <*osen Duist said.
J9ometimes, if you ta#e $roni (ain mediations for a long time, your (ain may atually get
worse. *esulting in addition and ultimately loo#ing for somet$ing else t$at will do t$e tri#
wit$out ta#ing 2 to ; do2ens (ain (ills daily, and t$e only t$ing t$at most addits find is $eroin if
t$ey don%t o!erdose before t$at time arri!es.

4reene, J. 7200C, )ar 0;8. Presri(tion (ain (ill abuse $urts. C$ar " Loosta Mews *etrie!ed from
$tt(0FFsear$.(ro:uest.omFdo!iewF;H?400CH?3aountidG2>H?1
T$e (ull of (resri(tion (ain (ills an be strong. Addition to (ain (ills is similar to
$eroin addition said -r. *obert 9$erri# w$o treats (atients for drug abuse at Pat$ways
Treatment Center and Lalis(ell -iagnosti 9er!ies bot$ in Lalis(ell. -r. 9$erri# also said t$at
an indi!idual an de!elo( a ($ysial de(endeny on (resri(tion (ain (ills in as little as two
wee#s. Two ommonly abused (resri(tion (ain (ills are Bortab and .+yContin. Le!in 6owlett,
t$e 6ead of t$e Tribal 6ealt$ -e(artment said, JT$is $as been a (roblem for at least 40 years.J
6e said (resri(tion drug abuse Jis e!ident $ere beause of t$e large amount we s(end on drugs
and $ealt$are.J 6e said t$at annually, t$e Tribal 6ealt$ de(artment s(ends N;.1 million on
(resri(tions. 6e said t$e a!erage Tribal 6ealt$ (atient reei!es t$ree (resri(tions (er dotor
!isit. T$e e+at number of (eo(le w$o sell t$eir (resri(tions or w$o use (ain (ills t$at are not
(resribed to t$em is not #nown. Mot only is t$e finanial ost of t$is ty(e of abuse $ig$, t$e
(ersonal ost is also $ig$. 6ewlett said $eOs seen, Jbro#en families. 1Om saddened (ersonally. 1Om
not suggesting t$at meds are ina((ro(riate, PbutQ ina((ro(riate use $as a ri((ling effet. 'e all
own a (art of t$is (roblem. 1tOs easier to loo# t$e ot$er way. 1tOs (ainful. 1t must be dealt wit$
om(assion.J
As we read t$is artile we learly see t$e strong effets t$ese (ain #illers $a!e on t$e
$uman body and its inability to resist it additi!e substane, (eo(le fool t$emsel!es in t$in#ing
t$at t$ey will not beome addited beause t$ey are not t$e ty(e of (erson w$o does drugs.
6a!ing little #nowledge on t$e o(iates additi!e substane, it goes straig$t to t$e $uman ner!ous
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system and t$en it affets t$e $uman neurologially, ausing t$em to loose t$ey !iew(oint of/ it
will not $a((en to me, 1 Rm not a drug addit. 1Rm only ta#ing t$ese (ills beause of my ba#
(ain, or w$ate!er ty(e of body (ain t$ey may be using F saying t$at t$ey $a!e, at t$e urrent
time...
Ja#man, T. 7201;, Mo! 148. Polie0 '$en (resri(tion (ill abuse beomes too e+(ensi!e, users
swit$ to $ea(er $eroin. T$e 'as$ington Post *etrie!ed from
$tt(0FFsear$.(ro:uest.omFdo!iewF14C90>CCC;3aountidG2>H?1
1n June, Jose($ *anna22isi, de(uty administrator of t$e -rug Snforement
Administration, testified before Congress t$at (resri(tion drug abuse was ra(idly rising, be$ind
only mari&uana in illiit use, and t$at Jsome users of (resri(tion o(iates turn to $eroin, a mu$"
$ea(er o(iate t$at (ro!ides a similar O$ig$. )easures to redue (resri(tion drug abuse "" by
ad&usting t$e $emistry of su$ (ills as o+yodone to ma#e t$em less desirable or t$roug$
inreased (enalties "" $a!e (us$ed addits to $eroin. T$ese artiles all s$ow (roof of Amerians
are o!erdosing t$emsel!es wit$ t$e aid of t$ese o!er"mediating (resribing dotors, and t$e
number &ust #ee(s on growing. For many addits t$ey are sim(ly $asing t$e $ig$ or t$e
mediation fi+. For t$eir bodies ontinue to tell t$e drug de(endent (erson t$at it needs more to
feel good one again. 1t%s sad but true t$at is w$y 1%!e deided to use t$ese artiles as an aid to
(ro!e my (oint.
Ba)endola, A. 72011, Feb 228. O.TK ).)9O 95PP.*T -ATAAA9S .F P1BB )1BB9
4.US*M.*O9 .PP.91T1.M C.5B- 9C5TTBS PBAM T. F146T P*S9C*1PT1.M -*54
AA59S. 9out$ Florida 9un " 9entinel *etrie!ed from
$tt(0FFsear$.(ro:uest.omFdo!iewF>C;0;94?43aountidG2>H?1
Call t$em Jo+y moms.J T$eyOre li#e soer moms, e+e(t t$eir ommon interest is not
t$eir $ildrenOs s(orts/ itOs t$eir $ildrenOs addition to (ain (ills su$ as .+yodone, and Bortab
bot$ are t$e nation%s leading ause of Amerians o!erdosing.
J1 !oted $im in/ a few (eo(le $a!e said t$ese words, t$in#ing $e would do t$e rig$t t$ing. 6eOs
turning a blind eye to w$atOs going on in t$is state,J .% P6areQ said. J)y son was a dotor"
s$o((er. 6e went from (ill mill to (ill mill, from Aoa *aton to Aroward County. .nly a
database t$at tra#s all of t$at it an to sto( t$is e(idemi of deat$s.J 1 feel t$ese woman need to
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o(en t$eir eyes and be aware of w$at t$ey are truly doing and s$owing ot$ers, su$ as t$eir
$ildren, you #now mon#ey see mon#ey do. 1t%s no wonder to me w$y our Mation $as su$ a
large amount of drug users t$at turn into ma&or addited drug addits.
Presri(tion (ill addition is new e(idemi, sur(assing illiit drug trade. 72011, Aug ;18. T$e
Pretoria Mews *etrie!ed from $tt(0FFsear$.(ro:uest.omFdo!iewF>>HC;?1943aountidG2>H?1
Sdit$ 5rner, su(er!isor of t$e C$emial -e(endeny *eo!ery Center 7C-*C8 at
6untington )emorial 6os(ital aross t$e ountry in wealt$y Pasadena, California, is utting0
J1tOs easier to go t$roug$ four to se!en days of wit$drawal from $eroin t$an t$e absolute $ell of
t$ree wee#s to get off met$adone or subo+one so"alled treatment. T$ey are (otent and long
ating.J T$erefore t$ey $a!e a $ig$ (robability of turning a need into a want meaning an addit.
Professor C$arles Parry, diretor of t$e Alo$ol V -rug Abuse *esear$ 5nit at t$e )edial
*esear$ Counil says (resri(tion drug abuse $ere is JabsolutelyJ a (roblem and also
Jsomew$at $iddenJ. T$e (rime (resri(tion drugs of abuse are ben2odia2e(ines 7e.g. Ualium,
Ati!an, Al2am8, analgesis 7ontaining odeine " t$oug$ many an be boug$t wit$out
(resri(tion8 and stimulant drugs su$ as *italin 7met$yl($enidate8 used to treat Attention
-efiit 6y(erati!ity -isorder. Among ($ysiians, abuse of (et$idine 7an analgesi8 $as been an
issue.
9tein, B. 72010, Jul 1H8. 65)AM C.9T9 .F PA1M P1BB A--1CT1.M 4*.'1M4.
9t.Petersburg Times *etrie!ed from $tt(0FFsear$.(ro:uest.omFdo!iewFH12H;42>;3
aountidG2>H?1
T$ey t$in#8 O1Om more status"bound if 1Om ta#ing a (ill. 1Om not li#e t$e &un#ies,O J $e said,
e+(laining $ow (ain (ill abusers t$in# t$ey are different from street drug users. J1tOs t$e same
effet. 1t does t$e same de!astation.J JKour stoma$ feels li#e youO!e got for#s in it, twisting it.
Kour musles, your organs are &ust sitting t$ere grinding away, beause youOre not feeding your
body w$at it wants,J PLaralyn 4oldbergQ said. JT$e (ills were rig$t t$ere on t$e street. Kou an
buy t$em anyw$ere. Kou didnOt $a!e to fill a (resri(tion,J s$e said. J'e $ad a ell ($one full of
numbers. 1t was filled wit$ not$ing but (eo(le w$o $ad (ills for sale.J 9o you an see one again
if t$e addit truly wis$es to get $is fi+ $e F s$e will go to t$eir dotor and to t$eir loal street
orner t$at $as some drug dealer on it, willing to sale you w$ate!er you wis$.
9weetening t$e bitter (ill of teen drug de(endeny. 7200>, )ay 1H8. T$e 9entinel *etrie!ed from
$tt(0FFsear$.(ro:uest.omFdo!iewF42H>4H41H3aountidG2>H?1
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Following AmeriaOs lead, inreasing numbers of Aritis$ (arents are mass"mediating
t$eir $ildren to ombat Attention -efiit 6y(erati!ity -isorder 7A-6-8, tiredness, stress and
de(ression. T$ese de(ression (ills are $ig$ly additi!e as well, and ause t$em to self mediate
and yes e!en o!erdoses and we end u( going to anot$er funeral. Mot only t$e $ere in t$e 5nited
9tates but in ot$er Country%s as well. As a mere iti2en of t$e 5nited 9tates my !iew may not
$ange t$e way most (eo(le t$in# and 1%m .L wit$ t$at. As long as my words $el( (re!ent t$e
(erson w$o is loo#ing for a different way around t$eir (ersonal dilemma. T$ese deat$s are
e+tremely sad for ea$ and e!eryone t$at $a((ens, and so if in any way 1 an $el( 1 will.

'ar$ol, 4. 7200>, Jan 0H8. .!erdose0 Mo family is immune from drug (lague. T$e 9alt Ba#e
Tribune *etrie!ed from $tt(0FFsear$.(ro:uest.omFdo!iewF2>21;C?0?3aountidG2>H?1
'$en t$e son of 5ta$ Sagle Forum President 4ayle *u2i#a was found dead of a drug
o!erdose in t$e morals ati!istOs $ome, it broug$t into s$ar( fous t$e breadt$ and de(t$ of
5ta$Os drug (roblem. *u2i#a and $er family $ad delined to disuss it wit$ re(orters/ t$e words
drugs, o!erdose or addition ne!er were uttered at Jos$ua *u2ii#a%s funeral at t$e familyOs
C$ur$ of Jesus C$rist of Batter"day 9aints ward $ouse. '$y wee t$ese words ne!er used3
Could it be beause of t$e $ur$ and its members being to mu$ li#e t$e sim(le t$ing t$ey
idoli2e t$e most3 1 t$in# its really a s$ame no matter w$at t$eir reason may be and trut$fully it
matters not, but w$at does matter is t$at t$ey $oose not to a#nowledge t$e real reason w$y t$is
(erson F lo!ed one $as (assed"away.