Sung to the tune of "Witch Doctor"
I told the politician I need some health care
I told the politician life was so unfair
And then the politician, he told me what to do
He said that....
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
I told the politician my home would soon be lost
I told the politician I could not bear the cost
And then the politician, he gave me this advice
He said to....
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Now, you've been suffering like me
Just like you were homeless
And I'll admit I don't feel so well
So I went out and found myself
A guy that's so much wiser
And he bought me a bottle of Cuervo
My friend the politician, he took that bottle too
My friend the politician, he beat me black and blue
I know that he will smile while wiping me off his shoe
Oh, baby....
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
Ooo eee, ooo ah ah ting tang
Walla walla, bing bang
****Ugh**** No happy thoughts left... Maybe Zach and Miri have it right, the only joy left is making a porno...
Friday, October 17, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Off Topic: Do Not Use Travelocity For A Trip
I have had a terrible, terrible time with Travelocity and changing reservations. You will get f*cked really good because in order to change anything on your reservation after you have booked they will charge the FULL PRICE you paid again for the change. If you cancel the reservation they will also charge you double for a cancellation fee. What douche bags! The only customer service you get from them is rape.
Oh yes, their advertising makes it sound like you are getting a good deal and getting first class service, when in fact they are just greedy bastards taking your money and then fisting you for more later if something happens to need changing.
DO NOT USE TRAVELOCITY FOR ANY TRIPS!!!!!
Oh yes, their advertising makes it sound like you are getting a good deal and getting first class service, when in fact they are just greedy bastards taking your money and then fisting you for more later if something happens to need changing.
DO NOT USE TRAVELOCITY FOR ANY TRIPS!!!!!
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Even More Political Nonsense and Affordable Health Care for All
I was planning another blog when a comment from my last Political Nonsense blog from "flyryan" wanted me to watch a You-Tube video of John Mccain's solution to emergency medical care. My response and then some:
Mccain's plan to have a medical facility in retail outlets has already been put in place by retail establishments with a big pharmacy business. He is just generalizing what private industry figured out many years ago: cheap, quick, readily available health care for everyone. What Mccain fails to see is that these clinics are very limited in scope as to what they can treat, screening equipment, and surgical capabilities. He fails to see that this is not the ultimate answer for emergency care but, as I stated before, it can help to ease the burden on the emergency room to medical care that needs surgical resolution, bone resetting, etc. instead of a six hour wait time because of 300 people with easily diagnosable and treatable ailments are waiting because they do not have a primary medical doctor due to lack of insurance or feel like sh*t and can't wait 3 weeks for an appointment with their primary physician.
Both presidential candidates have fatal flaws in their medical plans because their advisers are so removed from the medical fields they used to practice that they cannot see the forest for the trees. Both candidates need to sit down with emergency workers from poor inner city hospitals, over-crowded and understaffed VA hospitals, nurses that can fully enlighten them to the fallibility of an entire ward with only one or two nurses per shift to care for them all, physicians who are so over booked that patients get very little face time with them, pharmacists who can fully explain the issues and ramifications of non-compliance when copays skyrocket at the beginning of each new year, and patients who have to make a choice between paying for food, a mortgage/rent, gas, utilities, and medications. Only then will they see a small part of what is really happening in the rich country with the worst health care system.
During our last Democratic presidency Hillary Clinton tried to get legislation passed that would ensure every child had health care. Many in Congress fought her because they felt the First Lady had no business trying to enact legislation and was supposed to be a fashion accessory to the President. That just plain sucks! I have a simple solution for Congress. Take a few hundred million in "pork barrel" programs that only benefit a handful of people and fund Medicaid to cover health care for everyone under the age of 18. Medicaid is already subsidized by third party insurers so they won't be losing any money, children will have health care, and it will help out families by cutting costs on their health care plans by dropping coverage for children, not to mention ensuring that insurance lobbyist payouts keep coming so the bureaucrats still get what they want.
I only have to ensure myself because I have no spouse or children and I only pay about $50 per month for decent health/prescription insurance because my employer pays most of the premium. I have seen the premiums for family coverage and spouse coverage. They are far higher than mine, even with the company paying part of it. Independent family plans can go up to $700 or more per month depending on the coverage and the insurer with only the family to cover the premium. Families could save hundreds of dollars per month on health care just by not having to pay family premiums. This is a simple, painless solution to a very important problem. How much easier can it get??? But I have more!
The same can be said for Medicare and its heinous monstrosity of Part D medication coverage. Again, take a few hundred million in pork barrel spending and fund Medicare Part D in such a way as to give every citizen over the age of 55 zero monthly premiums for the program, zero copays for generic medications and a reasonable copay, such as $5 for brand name drugs that have no generic.
This former "pork barrel" money can also be used to ensure faster reimbursement for all Medicare and Medicaid services to pharmacies, medical providers, and hospitals so that independent pharmacies and medical offices no longer have to struggle to pay operating and/or drug replacement costs while waiting years for the government to pay them back and hospitals will have a bigger budget for nursing/medical staff and equipment/supplies, thus increasing quality of patient care and outcomes. This funding will keep jobs, generate jobs, prevent businesses from collapsing, and increase quality and access to medical services in tough economic times. Can there still be more???
My solution does not cover everyone but does ensure health care for those most at risk for medical problems and complications resulting in death. My solution also has the easiest and greatest effective solution for health care that this nation has seen in many years. This is the closest I can get us to nationalized health care that will keep ALL parties happy. In summary, my not so crazy plan accomplishes this:
* Health care for all children under 18 years old.
* Cheaper medications for all people over 55 years old.
* Faster and better reimbursement for all medical goods and service providers.
* Cheaper health care insurance costs for families.
* Insurers still make money.
* Bureaucrats still get perks.
* Job are saved.
* Jobs are created.
* "Pork Barrel" spending is reduced.
* People are healthier.
* People are happier.
And greatest of all:
* Accomplishing "Change we can believe in!"
"The only change we can believe in starts with our ideas and government actually listening to and implementing the mutually beneficial ones!" Big N Tasty, RPh
Mccain's plan to have a medical facility in retail outlets has already been put in place by retail establishments with a big pharmacy business. He is just generalizing what private industry figured out many years ago: cheap, quick, readily available health care for everyone. What Mccain fails to see is that these clinics are very limited in scope as to what they can treat, screening equipment, and surgical capabilities. He fails to see that this is not the ultimate answer for emergency care but, as I stated before, it can help to ease the burden on the emergency room to medical care that needs surgical resolution, bone resetting, etc. instead of a six hour wait time because of 300 people with easily diagnosable and treatable ailments are waiting because they do not have a primary medical doctor due to lack of insurance or feel like sh*t and can't wait 3 weeks for an appointment with their primary physician.
Both presidential candidates have fatal flaws in their medical plans because their advisers are so removed from the medical fields they used to practice that they cannot see the forest for the trees. Both candidates need to sit down with emergency workers from poor inner city hospitals, over-crowded and understaffed VA hospitals, nurses that can fully enlighten them to the fallibility of an entire ward with only one or two nurses per shift to care for them all, physicians who are so over booked that patients get very little face time with them, pharmacists who can fully explain the issues and ramifications of non-compliance when copays skyrocket at the beginning of each new year, and patients who have to make a choice between paying for food, a mortgage/rent, gas, utilities, and medications. Only then will they see a small part of what is really happening in the rich country with the worst health care system.
During our last Democratic presidency Hillary Clinton tried to get legislation passed that would ensure every child had health care. Many in Congress fought her because they felt the First Lady had no business trying to enact legislation and was supposed to be a fashion accessory to the President. That just plain sucks! I have a simple solution for Congress. Take a few hundred million in "pork barrel" programs that only benefit a handful of people and fund Medicaid to cover health care for everyone under the age of 18. Medicaid is already subsidized by third party insurers so they won't be losing any money, children will have health care, and it will help out families by cutting costs on their health care plans by dropping coverage for children, not to mention ensuring that insurance lobbyist payouts keep coming so the bureaucrats still get what they want.
I only have to ensure myself because I have no spouse or children and I only pay about $50 per month for decent health/prescription insurance because my employer pays most of the premium. I have seen the premiums for family coverage and spouse coverage. They are far higher than mine, even with the company paying part of it. Independent family plans can go up to $700 or more per month depending on the coverage and the insurer with only the family to cover the premium. Families could save hundreds of dollars per month on health care just by not having to pay family premiums. This is a simple, painless solution to a very important problem. How much easier can it get??? But I have more!
The same can be said for Medicare and its heinous monstrosity of Part D medication coverage. Again, take a few hundred million in pork barrel spending and fund Medicare Part D in such a way as to give every citizen over the age of 55 zero monthly premiums for the program, zero copays for generic medications and a reasonable copay, such as $5 for brand name drugs that have no generic.
This former "pork barrel" money can also be used to ensure faster reimbursement for all Medicare and Medicaid services to pharmacies, medical providers, and hospitals so that independent pharmacies and medical offices no longer have to struggle to pay operating and/or drug replacement costs while waiting years for the government to pay them back and hospitals will have a bigger budget for nursing/medical staff and equipment/supplies, thus increasing quality of patient care and outcomes. This funding will keep jobs, generate jobs, prevent businesses from collapsing, and increase quality and access to medical services in tough economic times. Can there still be more???
My solution does not cover everyone but does ensure health care for those most at risk for medical problems and complications resulting in death. My solution also has the easiest and greatest effective solution for health care that this nation has seen in many years. This is the closest I can get us to nationalized health care that will keep ALL parties happy. In summary, my not so crazy plan accomplishes this:
* Health care for all children under 18 years old.
* Cheaper medications for all people over 55 years old.
* Faster and better reimbursement for all medical goods and service providers.
* Cheaper health care insurance costs for families.
* Insurers still make money.
* Bureaucrats still get perks.
* Job are saved.
* Jobs are created.
* "Pork Barrel" spending is reduced.
* People are healthier.
* People are happier.
And greatest of all:
* Accomplishing "Change we can believe in!"
"The only change we can believe in starts with our ideas and government actually listening to and implementing the mutually beneficial ones!" Big N Tasty, RPh
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Political Nonsense
Another American Presidential debate season is upon us. The air is filled with promises and hope of magical things like nationally regulated health care, affordable drugs, greater access to doctors, happy little bunnies hop-hop-hopping at your feet and cute little birds extolling the virtues of daily life in our wonderful nation. I inhale big lung-fulls of hope and promises until I notice the cancer starting to choke my lungs as the lies in disguise poison me like so many chlorofluorocarbons nibbling away at the ozone layer. That reminds me, I need to buy more sunscreen....
Some promises are being fulfilled by el corpo pharmacia. Easy access to urgent medical care has been a rising trend for all retail pharmacy outlets. Sure there are limits to what can be treated at these urgent care outlets but they help ease the strain on an already overstressed emergency room system. Keep the emergency room for those who really need it: the mangled, the attacked, the coronary events needing immediate attention, broken bones, torn muscles and ligaments, etc. Applause for the initiative, although profit driven but what isn't these days, to ease the pressures on overflowing ERs nationwide.
Another promise being fulfilled by el corpo pharmacia is affordable medications. On the one hand many corporations are offering various pricing incentives or discount plans for cash paying consumers. On the other hand this is choking the life out of the mom and pop pharmacies who cannot survive the competition, piss poor insurance reimbursement rates, super slow payments from medicare and medicaid, and higher replacement costs for medications. Even buying co-ops don't make much of a dent in replacement costs. It is very disheartening that in the "land of opportunity" we slowly but surely cannibalize every independent business. I have worked with several pharmacists who sold their business and now work for McDruggie's. It is a disheartening sacrifice for job security in a rapidly crashing economy.
My favorite thing to hear from politicians that makes me pee my pants with laughter is not to buy drugs from anywhere other than the U.S. of A. This comes right off of the Food and Drug Administration's Website:
FDA's Main concern: Safety
A growing number of Americans obtain their medications from foreign locations, often seeking out suppliers in Canada. But FDA cannot ensure the safety of drugs bought from these sources.
Such a broad statement gives me a fit of the giggles. It should have been worded better. I have no doubt that legitimate pharmacies in Canada are dispensing the same medications that my pharmacy is. The FDA statement conjures the image of Snidely Whiplash in a lab coat pouring tablets from a bottle with a skull and crossbones on it into a medication vial then Dudley Doright rides in on his trusty steed to bust up the operation and somewhere along the line has to avoid a train. Damn, that reminds me how old I am but the Dudley Doright Ripsaw Falls theme ride at Universal Studios in Orlando sure is fun...if you go sit in the front...and take a lot of quarters...it will all become clear when you ride the ride...here's a hint...water cannons...but I digress...and need to take a minute to plan a trip to Universal Studios. Thankfully I am within a reasonable driving distance and the Incredible Hulk roller coaster rocks!
Back to buying drugs from other sources. I am skeptical of most Internet sites that sell drugs, especially the ones only selling Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis. The FDA has a task force systematically investigating and shutting down illegitimate operations. The problem here is that as soon as one is shut down one hundred more pop up. I would not purchase medications from ANY site that is not a legitimate pharmacy operation. Do your research before you buy.
Another way to combat counterfeit drugs entering the market is radio frequency identification tags. This technology is still in the research and testing phases but promises to put a big stop on illegitimate chemicals entering the retail pharmacy system. I am putting my faith in technology because it has never failed me where politicians always have.
Another reason the FDA statement and ill-informed politicians make me laugh is that many pharmaceutical companies are manufacturing their drugs in other countries and importing them back into the U.S. I have seen several bottles from Pfizer labeled Italy, Ambien labeled France, and an ever increasing number of brand and generic drugs labeled India. Maybe the politicians haven't seen the world travel FDA inspection itinerary or maybe big pharma has paid them to be ill-informed. Don't drink the political Kool-Aid kids, more and more drugs are manufactured elsewhere due to cheap labor and tax breaks from the Free Trade Agreement.
There have been warnings, such as the recent Ranbaxy debacle because their factory fell short of FDA standards and practices and is not allowed to import anything from one particular factory until standards and practices are proven to meet FDA guidelines. The point is that these factories still have to meet FDA guidelines in order to be imported back into the U.S. so the drugs are monitored but sometimes the system fails.
The moral to the rambling story is this: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (Ben Franklin) and I also like to add worth it's weight in platinum (like the credit card you went over limit on to pay for your meds) so eat healthier, take time to exercise by playing sports or other family activities with your children and friends, and adopt a pet because they can help you relax and bring you great happiness and one day you may eliminate your need for blood pressure and Type II diabetes meds which will make your life suck a little less than it did the day before.
Some promises are being fulfilled by el corpo pharmacia. Easy access to urgent medical care has been a rising trend for all retail pharmacy outlets. Sure there are limits to what can be treated at these urgent care outlets but they help ease the strain on an already overstressed emergency room system. Keep the emergency room for those who really need it: the mangled, the attacked, the coronary events needing immediate attention, broken bones, torn muscles and ligaments, etc. Applause for the initiative, although profit driven but what isn't these days, to ease the pressures on overflowing ERs nationwide.
Another promise being fulfilled by el corpo pharmacia is affordable medications. On the one hand many corporations are offering various pricing incentives or discount plans for cash paying consumers. On the other hand this is choking the life out of the mom and pop pharmacies who cannot survive the competition, piss poor insurance reimbursement rates, super slow payments from medicare and medicaid, and higher replacement costs for medications. Even buying co-ops don't make much of a dent in replacement costs. It is very disheartening that in the "land of opportunity" we slowly but surely cannibalize every independent business. I have worked with several pharmacists who sold their business and now work for McDruggie's. It is a disheartening sacrifice for job security in a rapidly crashing economy.
My favorite thing to hear from politicians that makes me pee my pants with laughter is not to buy drugs from anywhere other than the U.S. of A. This comes right off of the Food and Drug Administration's Website:
FDA's Main concern: Safety
A growing number of Americans obtain their medications from foreign locations, often seeking out suppliers in Canada. But FDA cannot ensure the safety of drugs bought from these sources.
Such a broad statement gives me a fit of the giggles. It should have been worded better. I have no doubt that legitimate pharmacies in Canada are dispensing the same medications that my pharmacy is. The FDA statement conjures the image of Snidely Whiplash in a lab coat pouring tablets from a bottle with a skull and crossbones on it into a medication vial then Dudley Doright rides in on his trusty steed to bust up the operation and somewhere along the line has to avoid a train. Damn, that reminds me how old I am but the Dudley Doright Ripsaw Falls theme ride at Universal Studios in Orlando sure is fun...if you go sit in the front...and take a lot of quarters...it will all become clear when you ride the ride...here's a hint...water cannons...but I digress...and need to take a minute to plan a trip to Universal Studios. Thankfully I am within a reasonable driving distance and the Incredible Hulk roller coaster rocks!
Back to buying drugs from other sources. I am skeptical of most Internet sites that sell drugs, especially the ones only selling Viagra, Levitra, and Cialis. The FDA has a task force systematically investigating and shutting down illegitimate operations. The problem here is that as soon as one is shut down one hundred more pop up. I would not purchase medications from ANY site that is not a legitimate pharmacy operation. Do your research before you buy.
Another way to combat counterfeit drugs entering the market is radio frequency identification tags. This technology is still in the research and testing phases but promises to put a big stop on illegitimate chemicals entering the retail pharmacy system. I am putting my faith in technology because it has never failed me where politicians always have.
Another reason the FDA statement and ill-informed politicians make me laugh is that many pharmaceutical companies are manufacturing their drugs in other countries and importing them back into the U.S. I have seen several bottles from Pfizer labeled Italy, Ambien labeled France, and an ever increasing number of brand and generic drugs labeled India. Maybe the politicians haven't seen the world travel FDA inspection itinerary or maybe big pharma has paid them to be ill-informed. Don't drink the political Kool-Aid kids, more and more drugs are manufactured elsewhere due to cheap labor and tax breaks from the Free Trade Agreement.
There have been warnings, such as the recent Ranbaxy debacle because their factory fell short of FDA standards and practices and is not allowed to import anything from one particular factory until standards and practices are proven to meet FDA guidelines. The point is that these factories still have to meet FDA guidelines in order to be imported back into the U.S. so the drugs are monitored but sometimes the system fails.
The moral to the rambling story is this: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (Ben Franklin) and I also like to add worth it's weight in platinum (like the credit card you went over limit on to pay for your meds) so eat healthier, take time to exercise by playing sports or other family activities with your children and friends, and adopt a pet because they can help you relax and bring you great happiness and one day you may eliminate your need for blood pressure and Type II diabetes meds which will make your life suck a little less than it did the day before.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Children Can Be So Cute
It's Saturday night and my technician and I are finishing up our current workload. A couple of adorable little boys peek their heads in the pharmacy. We ever so proudly told them we have a robot. They looked, shook their heads in disbelief, and said "That's not a robot."
Oh the insult. It's no Transformer but inside that ugly cabinet is a robot who's arms do all the work to fill prescriptions. It's not cute like an AIBO or robot puppy but it does make my job a lot easier. It is the "fill technician" when I am by myself and very busy.
It is amusing to see the disbelief of a child because the word "robot" evokes the cartoon images of Voltron, Transformers, Zords, and whatever crazy robot cartoon creations populate children's TV. As they get older they will understand the "robot" can cover many different creations like my Parata prescription filling machine.
Children are cute sometimes.
Oh the insult. It's no Transformer but inside that ugly cabinet is a robot who's arms do all the work to fill prescriptions. It's not cute like an AIBO or robot puppy but it does make my job a lot easier. It is the "fill technician" when I am by myself and very busy.
It is amusing to see the disbelief of a child because the word "robot" evokes the cartoon images of Voltron, Transformers, Zords, and whatever crazy robot cartoon creations populate children's TV. As they get older they will understand the "robot" can cover many different creations like my Parata prescription filling machine.
Children are cute sometimes.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Mmm, Tea
I was enjoying an Arizona Diet Green Tea with Ginseng when I noticed a curious little warning under the Sue Bee Honey logo:
Contains a small amount of honey. Not for use by diabetics without advice of a physician.
Hmmm...the honey additive in a product with less than 1 gram of carbohydrate and a net caloric content of zero needs a warning about diabetes? I would like to know what lawsuit prompted this or has our litigious society pushed manufacturers to the brink of putting a warning on EVERYTHING. What's next? A warning on bottled water letting you know that it only takes 2 tablespoonfuls of water in the lungs to drown you? ...Product not intended for nebulization or inhalation. For drinking only. The surgeon general says inhaling water could result in choking, birth defects, coma, and death...
I would have put the diabetes warning under the ginseng. The Natural Standard: Herb & Supplement Reference lists warnings for diabetics under ginseng. Apparently ginseng causes big drops of glucose levels when taken in combination with oral hypoglycemic meds. Funny. I haven't seen a lot of this type of warning on ginseng-containing products and there are a lot of them out there.
This is just one more example of why you shouldn't take herbs without doing a little research when you are on medications, Whole Foods employees be damned...
Contains a small amount of honey. Not for use by diabetics without advice of a physician.
Hmmm...the honey additive in a product with less than 1 gram of carbohydrate and a net caloric content of zero needs a warning about diabetes? I would like to know what lawsuit prompted this or has our litigious society pushed manufacturers to the brink of putting a warning on EVERYTHING. What's next? A warning on bottled water letting you know that it only takes 2 tablespoonfuls of water in the lungs to drown you? ...Product not intended for nebulization or inhalation. For drinking only. The surgeon general says inhaling water could result in choking, birth defects, coma, and death...
I would have put the diabetes warning under the ginseng. The Natural Standard: Herb & Supplement Reference lists warnings for diabetics under ginseng. Apparently ginseng causes big drops of glucose levels when taken in combination with oral hypoglycemic meds. Funny. I haven't seen a lot of this type of warning on ginseng-containing products and there are a lot of them out there.
This is just one more example of why you shouldn't take herbs without doing a little research when you are on medications, Whole Foods employees be damned...
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Teen Dies After Father Gives Him Pills To Party, Police Say
This tiny article came from The Associated Press in my Sunday paper this morning:
Teen dies after father gives him pills to party, police say
Spring Hill. A Gulf Coast man says in a taped conversation that he gave his 15-year-old son powerful prescription drugs because he wanted the boy to know "how to party right," police said.
Steven Alfano is now charged with third-degree murder after son Vincent died of an accidental overdose in June. Witnesses say the 47-year-old Spring Hill man showed his son how to crush and snort pills like the pain-killer oxycodone and the heroin substitute methadone.
Alfano was arrested Friday and is being held without bail. Officials did not know if he had a lawyer. The father initially told police he kept the medications locked away so no one else could get them. Alfano later told two of Vincent's friends that he knowingly gave the drugs to his son to teach him to party. The conversation was recorded by police.
I was utterly speechless and disgusted that this douche-bag had not a single thought about the safety of his child. He just wanted to show his son how to be just as douche-y as himself resulting in the kid's death. Unfortunately this is a dangerously increasing trend. Prescription drugs are becoming the top notch street drugs, even more popular than cocaine used to be in the 70's. I turn away many many questionable pain management prescriptions for this reason, especially if they took the time to drive down from Kentucky to get them. That state continues to have higher rates of prescription narcotic overdoses than most other states.
On the one hand I say "Let them overdose." On the other hand, logic kicks in and I realize these "dealers" have absolutely no idea what they are doing when they sell or give these drugs to treatment naive people on the street. Opiates have a tolerance that is seemingly limitless depending on the length and extent of exposure. You hear all the time about someone who has been in rehab for heroin, they get out and fall off the wagon in a bad way. They mistakenly use the amount of heroin they were used to before rehab. Since their body is no longer accustomed to such high doses of heroin it is fatal for approximately 8 out of 10 former junkies who return to junk and then unwittingly end up meeting Jesus...I hear he is a lot shorter than I thought he would be...
There was also a story several months ago about a high school kid and his friend who bought methadone 40mg tablets from another kid at school, went to a football game with the kid's mom, took the pills and died in their sleep. The mother thought nothing was wrong because both boys were in good spirits and appeared fine when they went to bed. Late the next afternoon the mother goes to wake them up only to find them dead. She is now an advocate against prescription drug abuse, as are many others who have been thrust into an unfortunate and emotionally crippling fiasco.
This dirty little problem has gotten so bad that there are now anti-drug ads that show a street dealer complaining because kids don't buy from him anymore because they are getting high out of the medicine cabinet at home. "So if something goes wrong don't blame me (ie the drug dealer) because they are getting the drugs at home." There is even another ad that shows two dead teens, one from illegal substances and one from prescription drugs with the tag line "Which one seems more dead?".
I am calling on our dear self-important legislators to squeeze the life out of this illegal and lethal trade. We need to take control of the war on prescription drugs which is proving to be an even tougher battle than the war on illegal substances. Mandatory death penalties for ALL person(s) who were prescribed a controlled substance and are guilty of selling or distributing prescription controlled substances that resulted in the death or vegetative state of ANY other person. Send the message. Enforce the message. No plea bargains, no side deals, just DEATH! ...And I am not talking about sentencing with the death penalty and then using taxpayer money to keep the douche-bag comfy and fed, I am talking sentence and execution all within 30 days. While we are at it the same penalty should apply to all person(s) who commit armed robbery, child molestation, and knowingly bankrupting a corporation....Yeah that is for you ENRON douche-bags because you ruined more lives than any drug czar ever has.
Wow, now that I have that off my chest I feel like an enormous weight of hate has been lifted from my shoulders and I may now resume a normal life. Onward medical soldiers and remember to keep the patient's best health in mind whether they like your treatment or not.
Teen dies after father gives him pills to party, police say
Spring Hill. A Gulf Coast man says in a taped conversation that he gave his 15-year-old son powerful prescription drugs because he wanted the boy to know "how to party right," police said.
Steven Alfano is now charged with third-degree murder after son Vincent died of an accidental overdose in June. Witnesses say the 47-year-old Spring Hill man showed his son how to crush and snort pills like the pain-killer oxycodone and the heroin substitute methadone.
Alfano was arrested Friday and is being held without bail. Officials did not know if he had a lawyer. The father initially told police he kept the medications locked away so no one else could get them. Alfano later told two of Vincent's friends that he knowingly gave the drugs to his son to teach him to party. The conversation was recorded by police.
I was utterly speechless and disgusted that this douche-bag had not a single thought about the safety of his child. He just wanted to show his son how to be just as douche-y as himself resulting in the kid's death. Unfortunately this is a dangerously increasing trend. Prescription drugs are becoming the top notch street drugs, even more popular than cocaine used to be in the 70's. I turn away many many questionable pain management prescriptions for this reason, especially if they took the time to drive down from Kentucky to get them. That state continues to have higher rates of prescription narcotic overdoses than most other states.
On the one hand I say "Let them overdose." On the other hand, logic kicks in and I realize these "dealers" have absolutely no idea what they are doing when they sell or give these drugs to treatment naive people on the street. Opiates have a tolerance that is seemingly limitless depending on the length and extent of exposure. You hear all the time about someone who has been in rehab for heroin, they get out and fall off the wagon in a bad way. They mistakenly use the amount of heroin they were used to before rehab. Since their body is no longer accustomed to such high doses of heroin it is fatal for approximately 8 out of 10 former junkies who return to junk and then unwittingly end up meeting Jesus...I hear he is a lot shorter than I thought he would be...
There was also a story several months ago about a high school kid and his friend who bought methadone 40mg tablets from another kid at school, went to a football game with the kid's mom, took the pills and died in their sleep. The mother thought nothing was wrong because both boys were in good spirits and appeared fine when they went to bed. Late the next afternoon the mother goes to wake them up only to find them dead. She is now an advocate against prescription drug abuse, as are many others who have been thrust into an unfortunate and emotionally crippling fiasco.
This dirty little problem has gotten so bad that there are now anti-drug ads that show a street dealer complaining because kids don't buy from him anymore because they are getting high out of the medicine cabinet at home. "So if something goes wrong don't blame me (ie the drug dealer) because they are getting the drugs at home." There is even another ad that shows two dead teens, one from illegal substances and one from prescription drugs with the tag line "Which one seems more dead?".
I am calling on our dear self-important legislators to squeeze the life out of this illegal and lethal trade. We need to take control of the war on prescription drugs which is proving to be an even tougher battle than the war on illegal substances. Mandatory death penalties for ALL person(s) who were prescribed a controlled substance and are guilty of selling or distributing prescription controlled substances that resulted in the death or vegetative state of ANY other person. Send the message. Enforce the message. No plea bargains, no side deals, just DEATH! ...And I am not talking about sentencing with the death penalty and then using taxpayer money to keep the douche-bag comfy and fed, I am talking sentence and execution all within 30 days. While we are at it the same penalty should apply to all person(s) who commit armed robbery, child molestation, and knowingly bankrupting a corporation....Yeah that is for you ENRON douche-bags because you ruined more lives than any drug czar ever has.
Wow, now that I have that off my chest I feel like an enormous weight of hate has been lifted from my shoulders and I may now resume a normal life. Onward medical soldiers and remember to keep the patient's best health in mind whether they like your treatment or not.
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