Quit popping pills

Quit popping pills
The recent death of Michael Jackson should teach us all a lesson about the dangers of all the prescription drugs the pharmaceutical companies are dumping down our throats. Studies and deaths, some from suicide, have shown that some antidepressants and other medications are extremely dangerous, especially in children, yet the Food and Drug Administration does virtually nothing about the problem because its pockets are lined by the pharmaceutical companies.

The problem starts in gradeschool. When 5-year-old children are unable to act like 40-year-old businessmen, the schools tell parents their child have problems and they had better take Ritalin so they can act like perfect little obedient zombies in class. As they get older and addicted, Ritalin can cause other issues that can lead to teenagers going through the juvenile court system, where they are found to be angry or depressed and are immediately force-fed antidepressants by the courts that have made their recommendations to the doctors who prescribe them.

These medications mess with peoples' minds in bad ways, but for some reason our schools, courts and doctors have too much faith in magic pills - either that or the pharmaceutical companies are paying them to distribute the medicines. Pharmaceutical companies have too much power in doctors' offices and in Washington, and they put our health at risk every day. Whether it is with antidepressants, fluoride in our water, or the aspartame in our soda, profit - not public safety - is all that matters to them.

CLIFTON R. VOLLENDORF

Eau Claire