Though they are at two ends of the social spectrum, the pharmaceutical companies and Mexican cartels have one thing in common – they are contributing to an ever growing drug addiction problem and making a good living at it.
In many cases they share the same customers – what an drug addict can’t get on the street, they can usually get from a pain clinic and vise versa.
Mexican drug cartels operate in 195 cities according to a report released by the United States Justice Department, posing an obvious threat to families. The marketing of these drugs is through word on the street and in the school yard, with the cartels frequently hiring American teens to make their sales.
Pharmaceuticals have access to the airways and a big advertising budget.
In a recent press conference Joseph A. Califano Jr., the National Center on Drug Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University’s director and president said:
"Aggressive marketing of controlled drugs to physicians . . . is designed to increase profits with little regard for abuse potential, Our nation is in the throes of an epidemic of controlled prescription drug abuse and addiction."
As a result of the seemingly runaway and uncontrolled marketing campaigns launched by both groups, more than 15 million Americans abuse controlled substances—double the amount from a decade ago, according to a report issued by CASA.
Even as the world watches Michael Jackson’s memorial there is little talk about solutions. Yet they are available.
