From the 5/13 Show – Face It Together – Sioux Falls South Dakota

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Larry

Not New York City, not Los Angeles and not Chicago!  It is Sioux Falls South Dakota that has an organization in the forefront of helping business, communities and the taxpayer understand the growing costs of the drug epidemic in our country.  Thanks to Charlie Day and Kevin Kirby, Face It Together has put together a working plan for business and community leaders around the country.  http://www.wefaceittogether.org/   The radio show has long waited for an organization in the country that has the insight and creativity to bring business to the forefront of creating solutions to the nation’s largest health crisis.

“Public policy” has had little success at helping curtail the growing costs from drug misuse.  Face It Together believes in private sector solutions and has created a program to both help business save money and help communities become proactive in stopping the human and economic destruction substance abuse is creating in too many families and beyond.

Radio show guest writer Erich Curnow from Examiner.com has summarized it best on the economic damage to our country.  “Estimates of the total overall costs of substance abuse in the United States, including productivity and health- and crime-related costs, exceed $600 billion annually.  This includes approximately $181 billion for illicit drugs,$193 billion for tobacco, and $235 billion for alcohol.”  http://www.examiner.com/article/pennsylvania-politicos-pushing-our-collective-luck-with-budget-reduction

In comparison, the National Institute of Health estimated the overall costs from cancer to be almost $227 billion in 2007. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerBasics/economic-impact-of-cancer

In the recently released March 2012 report from The Office of Drug Control Policy, it is estimated that over 23 million people are in need of “specialized treatment for a substance use disorder” and a small percentage of people are receiving the help they need.  http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/ondcp/2012_ndcs.pdf

The Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) “will expand access to substance use disorder treatment and help establish it as part of main stream health care systems.”  “When the Affordable Care Act is fully implemented in 2014, millions more Americans will have coverage”.

In other words, America’s business and taxpayer are facing billions of dollars in direct costs for treatment and recovery.  Ironically, this is a bargain.  Both Erich Curnow and The Office of Drug Policy site 7:1 costs savings of treating addiction over allowing the status quo.

My congratulations to Face It Together in Sioux Falls, South Dakota for bringing a program and plan to America’s business community to confront addiction.

After reading this, every CEO and Human Resource VP should be picking up the phone to call Face It Together.

Posted in Purpose Of Show | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

From the 5/6 Show – Roger Clemens Needs an OxyContin Connection With Congress

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Larry

Roger Clemens had an absolute lock on being in the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Beginning with his seven Cy Young awards, 354 wins, 4,672 strike outs, and 23 years in baseball would have put Roger in the Hall of Fame on the first vote.

It has now become speculation when or if Roger is accepted into the Hall.  Beginning in 2007, Congress became interested about steroids in Baseball.  http://files.mlb.com/mitchrpt.pdf   In February, 2008 Roger faced a thirty three member Congressional hearing http://hosted.ap.org/specials/interactives/_sports/baseball08/clemens_congress/hearing_transcript021308.pdf  The radio show has not explored why Congress became involved and curious about what Roger was shooting into his backside.

The end result is that Roger Clemens has been accused and is presently on trial for “lying to Congress”. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/michael_mccann/05/01/clemens.trial/index.html
The radio show finds it ironic that Congress has a law against lying. But, more ironic, is how the law is applied.  It appears that Congress selectively chooses its victims and Roger Clemens must have pointed his needle in the wrong direction to have become selectively chosen to be a poster child for our righteous Congressional leaders.

After Purdue Pharma and three executives pleaded guilty to misbranding OxyContin in May 2007, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/10/business/11drug-web.html?pagewanted=all  Congress held a Congressional meeting on July 31, 2007

Before the Committee on the Judiciary in the Senate, James Campbell, MD testified. http://www.judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=e655f9e2809e5476862f735da12c8394&wit_id=e655f9e2809e5476862f735da12c8394-2-6

Campbell was identified as a Professor of Neurosurgery and additional credentials that attached him to funding from Purdue Pharma and Big Pharma.  Before Congress Campbell made many statements in support of OxyContin remaining on the market.  In particular, Campbell said:

“OxyContin is an extended release preparation of oxycodone” – a lie – OxyContin is a “controlled release product” and there is an important distinction.

“OxyContin was developed to have slower drug delivery kinetics” – a lie – OxyContin releases one-half of its active ingredients immediately and the other half four to six hours later.

“A second advantage of OxyContin is that it provided a medication that provides more steady blood levels of oxycodone with less frequent dosing” – a lie concerning steady blood levels.

It is clear that Campbell misled and lied on behalf of the drug OxyContin before Congress with no ramifications.  It is also clear that Roger Clemens should have consulted with some drug company representatives before he testified.

The lesson learned for everyone at Roger’s expense is knowing which members of Congress have the same integrity as Purdue Pharma and James Campbell before you testify.

Posted in Purpose Of Show | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

From the 4/29 Show – Christopher Lane and “How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness – Shyness”

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Larry

The March issue of Sun Magazine http://www.thesunmagazine.org/issues/435/side_effects_may_include  helped the radio show discover Professor Christopher Lane.  The Sun article by Arnie Cooper introduced me to Christopher’s book:  How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness – Shyness – Yale University Press http://www.prescriptionaddictionradio.com/guests.cfm

Christopher Lane displayed his in-depth insight within the early pages of the book.  Historically there are many references to the human existence of uncontrolled feelings experienced by many.   Advanced societies in reported historical writings have defined “apprehensive behavior”, including Hippocrates.

Today’s medical field, with the leadership coming from the psychiatric profession, has been given a number of “diagnoses” for what many would consider reactions to an individual’s environment or immediate situation.  The spectrum of discomfort an individual displays has developed into a parallel of how many drugs the practitioner has been led to believe should be appropriately prescribed by the drug companies.

Christopher Lane shared his time on the radio show Sunday night.  Christopher’s work is long overdue for the world to recognize it. “Shyness” was published in 2007.  Christopher creates a detailed timeline covering the memos and notes that created the way “anxiety” has been viewed in recent times.  The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) has long been accused by its detractors as being an unscientific endeavor and Christopher has clearly demonstrated the worst fears in that vein by writing of the sometimes arbitrary decisions that have gone into the final decisions of classifying many mental conditions.

Unfortunately, the apparent arbitrary decisions made by the psychiatric profession to classify mental states has opened up the flood gates for powerful drugs that affect the communication of our complex neurological system consisting of billions of neural synapses.  For the drug companies promoting the drugs, efficacy and safety have become a passing thought in the march to sell billions of dollars of products.  There are way too many reported negative outcomes from the drugs that blunt our normal response to mental stimuli and “Shyness” covers the “rebound syndrome”.

Christopher details the drug marketing campaigns that were ingenious in their approach to convince millions to take drugs with questionable science behind both the diagnosis and remedy.  The outcomes of success are effectively challenged by Christopher.

This radio show host found “Shyness” a remarkable book.  I have long wondered if the pendulum of our growing drug epidemic is going to come from an unexpected source or person.

After reading “Shyness”, it may be a College English Professor, Christopher Lane who changes the course of history concerning our present drug culture.

Posted in Purpose Of Show | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

From the 4/22 Show – Taxpayers Pay For the Lunacy and McDonalds Doesn’t Get It

Posted on April 24, 2012 by Larry

A month ago Pat Beall from the Palm Beach Post did an excellent article revealing the money taxpayers spent financing the distribution of oxycodone within Florida during the time periods of 2010 and 2011 http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/post-exclusive-tax-money-helps-pill-mills-thrive-2246961.html?printArticle=y   Beall reported that $27 million dollars was spent on oxycodone containing products alone.  “49 million doses of pills” for an estimated adult Medicaid recipient population of 1.36 million people.  Many of the transactions were generated by well publicized “pill mill doctors”.

The radio show did not attempt to speculate on how many narcotics ended up on our streets courtesy of the taxpayer funding.

Last week it was revealed that taxpayers spent more in almost four months on drug testing people applying for Temporary Assistance than the attempted savings by stopping drug users from receiving state money.  A $45,780 net loss to the state. http://www.newsherald.com/articles/testing-102089-wasteful-.html

It appears a big winner in Florida’s drug fiasco is the urine testing companies.  The radio show asked why the drug tests are reportedly $35 a test to our state when there are companies on the internet that will sell quality tests for less than $10.  Would it be cynical to assume political contributions had anything to do with the cost to the state?    http://americannewsreport.com/legal-fight-escalates-in-drug-testing-industry-8813923.html

State Pays for the Drug Deal

Although the radio show agrees with Governor Scott that cash assistance should not be used to finance the drug trade, a convoluted situation has been created.

The state will pay a doctor for the office call, pay the pharmacy (middle man) for the drug deal, arrest a person who has the drugs in their pocket who was a secondary recipient of the drug deal, and pay for the incarceration for an individual that the state originally financed the bogus deal for.

Adding insult to the taxpayer, the state will pay for drug testing at inflated costs for people who have a legal prescription that was created from the drug deal that was financed from beginning to end by the taxpayer.

In today’s news a man was arrested for stealing a $1 soda from McDonalds. http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/332490/20120424/1-felony-mark-abaire-soda-mcdonald-s.htm

Interesting that McDonalds appears more interested in saving $1 from a stolen soda than the tens of thousands of dollars it can be speculated drug and alcohol use by their employees is costing the company.

McDonalds deserves better from the American press. For the radio show, they do offer a simple example of how American business continues to miss cost savings priorities.

Posted in Purpose Of Show | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

From the 4/15 Show – OxyMorons – Pay Per View Finally Gets It

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Larry

Johnny Hickey, writer director and lead actor in the movie OxyMorons joined the radio show again Sunday night.  If your cable company is Time Warner, Verizon, Comcast, Cox, Charter and others around the country that include In-Demand you can now enjoy the movie.  My local Brighthouse Network has the movie via their On Demand service.

Johnny Hickey has overcome all odds to put out a fantastic movie. I wrote a review on OxyMorons last year. http://www.prescriptionaddictionradio.com/blog/oxymorons-movie-review-johnny-hickey-created-a-great-movie-starring-oxycontin   “The movie is symbolic for so many people. For those who have a loved one suffering they will understand they are not alone.”  For those who have lost a loved one, OxyMorons will be the vehicle in America that will help bring closure and reveal the corruptness of our government and politicians who allow the “silent epidemic” and “legal narcotics” to reach our streets so easily.”  For all others, OxyMorons has action, dialogue, realism, and an ending you won’t forget.

The movie is graphic and violent at times.  Admittedly, some uncomfortable scenes for some.  However, what drugs are doing to our communities is not pretty.  Johnny Hickey brings the realism of the drug scene to the movies that America needs to see.

OxyMorons is a reflection on what is happening in almost every community in America.  Drugs bring despair and a loss of hope for too many people.  The high schools and colleges continue to avoid discussions and programs pertaining to the growing drug culture in our country.  An intellectual discussion by leaders appears to be focusing on incarceration rates and not how to better help a country focus on priorities that will limit the devastating consequences too much drug use brings to individuals and communities.  Education is a missing component on the phony cry against the “The Drug War”.

College leaders should be embracing the movie OxyMorons in order to create the discussions necessary on the college campus.  With the wide scale availability of the movie, the discussions can be broadened in the college community.

I encourage you to watch the movie. OxyMorons is a movie you will discuss with your friends after seeing it.

Posted in Show Related Comments | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

From the 4/8 Show – Jesse Vivian, Wayne State University, the DEA and Shame

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Larry

The show started by reminding family members that “Shame” is what continues the silence of the growing drug epidemic in our country.  The drug distributors know that by continuing to make people feel ashamed of a loved one or ashamed that your child has become involved in drugs will silence many. Individuals on the money train of drug distribution will many times attempt to question your credibility by bringing up the loved one who was lost or affected by the legal narcotics.  The collective silence on the drug epidemic continues to reinforce the disingenuous actions from the entities who support the excess distribution of narcotics to our streets.

Another major topic for the radio show Sunday night was from a blog written by Jesse Vivian, who lists his credentials as an instructor at Wayne State University, College Pharmacy http://www.pharmqd.com/blog/dea-and-corporate-responsibility-opinion

Recently the DEA stopped the distribution of excess prescription narcotics from a major wholesaler and drug stores in Florida.  Mr. Vivian, using his “legal skills” wrote in part:  “Allegedly, Cardinal Health distributed somewhere in the range of over three million doses in 2010″.  And, “the DEA has no explicit (or, in my opinion, implicit) mandate to fight perceived drug abuse through the exercise of any notion of corporate responsibility or to protect its citizenry from corporate abuses or wrongdoings without evidence of specific violations of specific laws”.

In other words,  it appears the author believes the DEA should turn a blind eye to the wholesalers and pharmacies who act as the middleman for the narcotic drug deals.

This writer picked up from the blog that a college instructor in a pharmacy school believes that the DEA had no right to attack the distribution of oxycodone any more than the government has the right in stopping the distribution of sugar or salt which are also potentially detrimental to our health.  The consumption of too much sugar and salt are not good for you either!

The interpretation I get from Jesse Vivian, who references Wayne State University, College of Pharmacy in his credentials,  is the dispensing of millions of pills does not constitute a wholesaler or pharmacist from “knowingly” being aware of narcotics not being used for “legitimate” purposes.

My concern is what are the pharmacy students being told in America’s College Halls.  Fortunately, my experience indicates that the pharmacy student has become smarter than the teacher.

The blog coming from a college instructor who apparently hasn’t grasped the severity of the dangers of oxycodone should be addressed by the pharmacy leaders in our country.

Thank goodness for the DEA’s actions.  We have been waiting for the FDA, Medical Boards and Pharmacy Boards to take action on the mass distribution of narcotics since the introduction of OxyContin in late 1995.  I take issue with a college professor who continues to think that the proper way to address the distribution is by waiting for the medical and pharmacy regulatory boards who have done little to take action.

Do you want your prescription filled by a graduate of Wayne State Pharmacy School given the opinion from their one faculty member.  I hope a teachable moment for every pharmacy school leader in the country.

Posted in Purpose Of Show | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

From the 4/1 Show – Chimpanzees and the Libertarian Party

Posted on April 2, 2012 by Larry

The radio show covered a number of topics Sunday night.  First, my thanks to Ray Martinez http://www.raymartinez.com/  for helping enlighten my radio show listener and the country on how marijuana is affecting his community of Fort Collins, Co and his state.  Most intriguing is that the legalization of marijuana in Colorado was created under the guise of “medical marijuana”.  It appears that there is an increasing power struggle between people connected with medicine and those not connected to the medical profession.  Upcoming ballot initiatives in Colorado are a fight about who is going to reap the financial rewards from the lucrative profits of marijuana.  Many more people in Colorado want the ability to enter the marijuana market and not just allow a few to enjoy the financial rewards marijuana has created?

Fortunately, as Ray helped point out, the business community and leaders are becoming concerned about the long term ramification the marijuana industry is bringing to Colorado.  The cost of doing business in Colorado to keep a drug free work place and a safe work environment is increasing.  My hope is that my home state of Florida is paying attention as billboards for the attributes of marijuana for our senior citizens are being displayed http://www.wtsp.com/rss/article/244853/250/Leagalize-Medical-Marijuana-billboard-targeting-seniors  web site.

Earlier in the show I asked why the Libertarian Party is identified with “legalization of drugs” and not “education of drugs”.  The Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson asks for “Drug Reform Policy” and Ron Paul (a veiled Libertarian) professes for liberalization, but I don’t understand why there is not a movement for education.  In a free market and free choice system, why would political candidates not encourage money to be spent in reminding the American people the economic destruction too many drugs bring to a community.

The next time you hear that “the war on drugs is a failure”, ask why the focus of educating America about “not safe as prescribed” or “marijuana is for losers” is not emphasized first?

Writing about the candidates who are for liberalization before education reminded me of the Chimpanzee story.  http://www.dailycamera.com/guestopinion/ci_20082066   We have people who are concerned about the side effects drugs may bring to the Chimpanzees in testing laboratories and ignore the same side effects and disturbing outcomes for our children and adults.

Chimpanzees are humans closest living relatives.  The legalization before education crowd reminds me how some people are more close to the intellect of the chimpanzee than others.

Posted in Purpose Of Show | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

From the 3/25 Show – Kanabec County, Minnesota – It’s Time to Break the Silence

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Larry

The radio show is grateful to Suzanne Lee, a nurse and addiction specialist in the 16,000 person Kanabec County, Minnesota area.    Kanabec County appears to be symbolic for many small county populations in our country.

On Sunday night’s show, Suzanne displayed great compassion for the community she serves.  Suzanne is a firsthand witness to the damages from prescription narcotics.  It remains amazing to this radio show host that a few uncaring medical practitioners can go unnoticed by the local media and community leaders in a sparsely populated area. Suzanne helped emphasize that the human and economic costs to a growing prescription drug problem in every community like Kanabec County should be addressed. Pete Jackson, President of Advocates for Reform of Prescription Opioids (ARPO) http://www.rxreform.org/  emphasized, along with Suzanne, the gravity of the growing prescription drug epidemic.

Suzanne Lee has stepped forward for the people of Kanabec County and has been met with resistance.  Suzanne wrote a “white paper” for the citizens she serves. Suzanne assessed the Kanabec County drug problem as the Chairperson for the Substance Abuse Coalition to Kanabec County (SACK).  In her recent paper she stressed the high rates of incidence involving the misuse of prescription opioids.   The powerful and cash rich medical practitioners who are the implicated culprits in the growing addiction problem in Kanabec County have effectively silenced Suzanne’s paper.

The reality is that in a rural area the problem generally comes from one or two clinics.  In Kanabec county it appears the clinics have carte blanche to distribute destruction, addiction and death under the silence of the health department and local health professionals.

It is the radio show’s hope that the local media and officials in Minnesota investigate and bring to light the drug problem in Kanabec County Minnesota.  The investigation wouldn’t be just for the citizens of Kanabec, but for every rural area in our country who is suffering from the unscrupulous “ruse of pain” which is allowing an unprecedented number of narcotics to reach the streets.

Using narcotics for long term chronic pain remains the biggest medical hoax in our lifetime in terms of destruction and death.  Let’s hope the powers in Kanabec County Minnesota hear Suzanne Lee’s concerns.  It would be symbolic for hundreds of communities in North America.

Posted in Show Related Comments | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

From the 11/18 Show – Health Clubs in America Are Not Exercising Their Muscle

Posted on March 19, 2012 by Larry

We live in a dynamic country in which money drives the majority of decisions.  Nobody has created a marketing initiative that has been able to compete with the marketing and influence from the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical, medical and insurance establishment.  The businessman and taxpayer continually allow themselves to be locked out of a closed system of rising costs, poor health decisions, and medical destruction that continually increases every year.  The health club industry is not exercising their collective muscles.

The latest economic numbers indicate health insurance rates will rise again for the average American worker with few added benefits. http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/03/09/employees-get-pinched-health-insurance-costs-more/   Health care costs continually increase for business yearly and the worker is being forced to take on a greater share of the costs.  

It is time for the Health Club industry to flex their muscles and approach business and the taxpayer.  People who exercise, eat properly, and keep their weight under control clearly use less in medical services.  Individuals who take fewer drugs and strive for the better mental health exercise and a healthy lifestyle bring create fewer medical costs.

It is long overdue to create incentives for a trip to the local health club instead of a trip to the doctor’s office.   With a health club membership around $40 or $50 a month, it would be cheaper for an insurance company to pay for a monthly membership to a health club than a doctor’s visit and the accompanying prescriptions.

With a combination of economic incentives on the employee and the prospect of an employer saving money on overall health care costs the Health Club industry needs to get creative in tapping into the enormous opportunity of shifting the health care expenditures from the doctor’s office to the gym.  Health care costs are about $2.5 trillion.  http://www.chcf.org/publications/2011/05/health-care-costs-101 

A big warm “American (Economic) Pie” is sitting in front of the Health Club industry.  It is time for the health club industry to get off of the couch.

Posted in Show Related Comments | Tagged , | 1 Comment

From the 3/11 Show – The Marketing of Rachel Hoffman – Follow the Money

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Larry

On May 7, 2008 we sadly lost a 23 year old woman to drugs. Rachel Hoffman had agreed to become an informant for the Tallahassee police department shortly after she was discovered with many times over the misdemeanor limit for marijuana.  The amount qualified Rachel to face felony charges.  The masterful marketing of Rachel after her death recently brought a $2.4 million dollar settlement to her parents from the city of Tallahassee.

Since Rachel’s death, many advocates who propose for the liberalization of our drug laws have made Rachel a symbol for their cause.  While the pro legalization advocates have marketed Rachel’s memory for their special interests, the parents have remained silent.  After the Florida legislature authorized the $2.4 million dollars to the parents, the American press displayed an angelic young woman who was a victim of the police and not the damage and destruction drugs have brought to so many families.

The Tampa paper described Rachel as “naive when she agreed to help police”. http://www2.tbo.com/news/news/2012/mar/08/slain-informant-receives-justice-ar-366859/

The truth was that Rachel was wrapped up in the drug culture, knew the drug score, was in a court ordered drug treatment program, missed her last scheduled drug test, knew the street drug vernacular and knew how to contact people who could pull off a $13,000 drug deal.  Rachel’s actions in the year prior to her death did not indicate “naive”.

The parents lived in Clearwater when Rachel died and had apparently lost touch with their daughter’s reported drug dealing.  Sadly, since Rachel’s death, the parents have been a part of the marketing effort toward the march to their $2.4 million dollar payday with quotes about how much they missed their daughter when in fact they had no comment about her lifestyle and blamed the police for her death.

It is my hope that an investigative journalist begin to examine and report on the Rachel Hoffman story.  It should be called “The Marketing of Rachel Hoffman” or “How to Get $2.4 million Dollars From Your Daughter’s Death With the Influence of the Drug Legalization Advocates”

Rachel’s drug issues represent what tens of thousands of parents have had to face.  The parents I know have all stepped forward in trying to better understand how to help educate other parents.

Rachel became a victim to drugs and her death became a payday for her parents who have remained silent while the advocates for drug legalization have used Rachel for their personal causes.  Rachel’s death could have been an example for so much more in our growing drug culture that is taking too many children away from their parents.

The Rachel Hoffman story: A marketing story to be read by every student pursuing a legal degree that includes personal injury.

http://pibillwarner.wordpress.com/2009/11/29/rachel-morningstar-hoffman-knew-what-jail-was-like-she-didnt-want-to-go-back-so-she-became-a-confidential-informant-ci-for-the-inept-tallahassee-police-department-tpd-and-ended-up-dead/

http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20080810/NEWS01/808100328/Rachel-Hoffman-timetable  

http://www.bigbendbikersforfreedom.com/2008/09/witness-officer-interviews-pertaining.html

http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20080510/NEWS01/805100318/Hoffman-s-friends-recall-her-love-life

Posted in Show Related Comments | Tagged | 3 Comments