Did you know that in 2014 the global pharmaceutical market produced a combined total revenue of 980.1 Billion US$? Or that 100% of American states allow the legal pharmaceutical sale of narcotics, but only 46% allow the legal sale of marijuana? In 2013, The Mayo Clinic released a study which revealed that 70% of United States Citizens are on at least one prescription drug. Over half the population had more than one prescription. According to Brandies University Heller School, between 1993 and 2013, the number of people who died as a result of prescription drug/opioid overdose was estimated to around 220,000. For comparison, this number is higher than the estimated combined deaths totals of the Vietnam and Afghan Wars.
We can all picture in our minds the ‘stereotypical’ junkie or drug addict. Recklessly and/or hopelessly going about life. These people are deemed social burdens and society condemns them, incarcerates them. Many do not stop and think, well what is the root cause of this societal behavior? Where are these people getting all of these drugs in the first place? Why are the drug suppliers themselves not legally liable for anything?
This past June an activist organization investigated to find the phone telephone numbers/contact information of the 5 highest paid pharmaceutical CEO’s in the nation, and then posted the information online via social media. These people were motivated by the fact that there are too many people being arrested for drug use, and no one other then the drugs users were facing legal punishment. The organizations goal was to get everyone who sees, to call and express their concerns over this issue. The post added:
“Don’t get mad. Just politely ask them what they are doing to address the opioid epidemic in the United States and if they realize that the latest data shows almost 80% of addicted persons start with a legally prescribed drug that they make. They can definitely be part of the solution here and I believe they will be … might need a little push.”
Who was this activist organization? The city of Glouster, Massachusetts police force! The campaign was a modest success. Enough citizens called in that the CEO of Pfizer agreed to sit down with the police to discuss the matter in more depth. We are still waiting for this meeting to occur. So perhaps it is not a complete reform of the system, but one step in the right direction. The actions of the Gouchester police department are activism at its purest. This is why I am writing this article here to Anonymous. You can join in their effort and support the cause by calling in to the numbers provided in the Facebook post here.
