Salem-News.com Drugs articles

Purdue Pharma Responds to Salem-News.com Article

A Purdue Pharma official wrote to "urge" me to remember the millions with poorly controlled pain as I pursue my advocacy agenda; it is an insult. I choose to remember those suffering with the loss of family members and those dealing with hopeless addiction.

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) - I received the below email this morning from Russell K. Portenoy, MD in response to my recent article in the Salem-News.com.

I chose to reply to Portenoy's email via Salem-News rather than personally because I feel there is an obligation for the victims of OxyContin who no longer have a voice to be heard.

Purdue Funded Doctors Suggest Increased Pain Meds for Babies

Report promoting wider use of pain medications specifically targeting kids is funded by the makers of Oxycontin.

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) - A meeting held by "a family foundation dedicated to reducing human suffering caused by pain......" was held in Washington, DC this past June 2009 -- Below is the link to the recommendations of this meeting.

The report is a fast read -- only about ten actual pages, and the link contains background information I find interesting -- for want of a better word.

OxyContin and Heroin Commission Report - State of Massachusetts

After months of testimony and preparation, the State of Massachusetts today issued their report on "Recommendations of the OxyContin and Heroin Commission"

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) - The State of Massachusetts "is in the midst of a serious and dangerous epidemic. Prescription drug use is skyrocketing, opioid overdose deaths are steadily increasing and while support for these addiction treatment programs has increased, it is not sufficient to meet the needs of this growing problem."

"Based on the nearly 30 hours of oral testimony, thousands of pages of written testimony..."

You`re not addicted -- It`s Pseudo Addiction

There's a book very popular right now called "The Seven People You Meet in Heaven." I hope one day someone writes a book entitled "The People Who Will Be Found in Hell."

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) - Pseudo-addiction is defined as an abnormal drug-related behavior making chronic pain patients look like addicts.

With the exception of one large-scale report as an abstract (McCarberg and Laskin, 2001) – no studies on pseudo addiction exist. Although the pseudo-addiction concept lacks significant scientific support – it has become widely accepted within the pain-physician community.

Purdue Pharma Backs Slandering Drug Crusader

Website - "Dads and Mad Moms Against Drug Dealers (DAMMADD) lists Sponsors -- Top of the List -- none other than Purdue Pharma.

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) - Yesterday Salem-News.com published an article about a self-described anti-drug crusader who began telephoning our advertisers claiming that we "promote drug use" because we cover medical marijuana related issues.

The truth of the matter is that Salem-News.com regularly covers drug abuse-related stories and that is what led to one slanderous phone message that we were able to trace back to an individual named Stephen Steiner.

Purdue Pharma Marketing to Physicians About Their `Attitudes`

It is an attack on professionalism.

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) - So now we have the Internet used as a marketing tool by Purdue Pharma posting something as ludicrous as physicians prescribe narcotics based on the attractiveness of their patients.

These are the same physicians Purdue Pharma only a few years ago was convincing that their blockbuster drug OxyContin was less addictive than other narcotics.

Military Drug Abuse: It Can`t Function Without It

If the troops are not getting enough sleep and rest that they must use these stimulants, there is something glaringly wrong with the guys who wear stars on their shoulders.

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - The Oregonian reported this on Sept. 7, 2009. This should surprise nobody. Recruits historically are TRAINED to use alcohol and tobacco from their first weeks in boot camp, at least in the Army. If it wasn’t for the beer tranquilizer in the PX the rookies probably couldn’t survive psychologically the crap which is shoveled on them. There’s gotta be some psychological escape if even for a few hours. On hourly(?) breaks, “smokum if you gottum” is almost biblical. Ok, do they still do that same crap now?

I’m not even writing about that stuff but the army does run on booze. More about that later.

Frances Oldham Kelsey, PhD, MD An American Hero

Time to slow down and honor those who made a difference, before the big pharmaceutical companies had control.

(MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.) - For those not familiar with the name Frances Oldham Kelsey, she became nationally famous in 1962 when she prevented the sedative drug Thalidomide from entering the United States. Thalidomide was found to have caused birth defects in 10,000 European children in the late 1950s and early 1960s. For preventing an American Thalidomide tragedy, Kelsey was awarded the government's highest civilian award, the President's Distinguished Federal Civilian Service Award.

Kelsey's civil service career began in August, 1960, when she became a medical officer for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). After one month on the job, Kelsey was asked to review what was expected to be a simple and routine marketing application for Thalidomide. Thalidomide, a sleep inducer, had been developed in West Germany in the 1950s, and was widely marketed in Europe; belief in its safety was so widespread that the drug was available without prescription.

Medical Cannabis 201: Education for Federal Cannabis Cretins

I only hope that the NIDA cretins will read this article. They need to know how wrong they are!!

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - I am so disgusted with the Federal Employees of NIDA (National Institute of Drug Abuse) et cetera and their egregious lies and distortions about cannabis that I have contracted a case of REEFER MADNESS in both acute and chronic forms.

They themselves have not educated themselves beyond the movie that is truly pathetic, pitiful and harmful to patients.

Medical Marijuana Goes High Class: Cannabis Featured in Fortune Magazine

Cannabis/Marijuana and Federal Lying Psychotics.

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - Fortune Magazine, certainly one of the most prominent high class magazines, came out with the article How marijuana became legal for Sept. 15, 2009.

The story is a far cry from muggles and potheads to this magazine article written by Roger Parloff, an admitted pot smoker of some thirty years ago (and today also).