I remember hearing 62 years ago that Robert Mitchum had been caught with a joint of marijuana in his suitcase, was arrested and his acting career ended. I remember thinking, “He’s done for, now — that devil weed has entered his brain, and it is all over for him.” Such was the power of public disinformation. In people of my generation, those concepts still hold true for many.

Every morning, we review the cases that come before the medical examiner’s office. During the past few years, more and more deaths are related to prescription drugs, often taken with legal prescriptions for opiates. In 2009, drug overdoses reportedly exceeded automobile deaths in 15 states. Some studies indicated deaths from ingesting multiple prescription drugs is up by 60 percent. This is partially fueled by the ever-increasing volume of advertisements for prescription drugs on television. Serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are epidemic. You know them as drugs such as Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil. The costs to health care are enormous.

columbiatribune.com