In a report released yesterday by the President's Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), our drug warriors claim that among young people, use of street drugs including cocaine and marijuana have declined. No doubt everyone will agree that a reduction in drug use by high school students is a good thing. But a closer analysis of the data raises further questions. The report states:
"...past year abuse of Oxycontin among 8th graders exactly doubled - increasing 100% over the past four years"
Doubled? Oxycontin is a highly addictive morphine-based pain reliever. Are we attacking marijuana use only to send our kids to the pharmaceutical companies for morphine? Find out the whole story beyond the fold:
"The drug dealer is us". Director of National Drug Control Policy John P. Walters today released a new White House analysis that shows alarming trends in teen abuse of prescription drugs and cough and cold medicines to get high. The report shows that teens are turning away from street drugs, like marijuana and cocaine, and are now abusing prescription drugs to get high.
Also in the release from ONDCP:
"The explosion in the prescription of addictive opioids, depressants and stimulants has, for many children, made their parents' medicine cabinet a greater temptation and threat than a street drug dealer," said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Chairman and President, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. "The world of children and teens is awash in prescription drugs and some parents can become inadvertent drug pushers by leaving their prescription opioids, stimulants and depressants in places where their kids can get them."
Doh! What have our drug warriors done? I guess the "couch" videos that have been so ridiculed seem to have worked to steer kids away from marijuana - and right into harder drugs instead! At least now there is a money trail we can follow. From our kids to their parents to the CVS and Rite-Aid all the way back to Purdue Pharma. As the prescription drug abuse menace grows among our children, how will this affect law enforcement's ability to seize the property and proceeds of the drug dealers?
Purdue Pharma has it's own answer: The company has been giving grants to DAMMAD.ORG, or "Dads and Mad Moms Against Drug Dealers". This is a horrid organization that spouts the most offensive propaganda, and encourages people to turn in "tips" to law enforcement agencies against people suspected by the "Dads and Mad Moms" of being drug dealers. They are particularly vituperative about marijuana. That will be no surprise when you find out why. Their success rate is on every page of their web site:
Tips: 2670 Arrests: 80 Convictions: 37 I'll add: Tip viability rate: 1.3% Innocent people likely wrongly accused: 2633???
Purdue Pharma's web site boast about their contribution to DAMMAD, and the "success" they have had in stamping out drugs. From one press release:
"DAMMAD recently received a $50,000 grant from The Purdue Pharma Fund of Stamford, CT. The grant is being used to fund DAMMAD's expansion into Mississippi and South Carolina...to help pay out rewards to those whose tips have lead to the arrest and conviction of drug dealers"
"The expansion into Mississippi has paid off immediately with the arrest of a 36-year-old Ocean Springs woman who was charged with possession with intent to sell more than two grams of cocaine. A tip to the DAMMAD web site helped the Jackson County Narcotics Task Force in their investigation that led to the arrest."
Two whopping grams! Worth $150.00. Not much of a return on a $50,000 investment. Funny that almost three years after receiving that grant, they have only paid out $10,100 in rewards. But there's more - much more. Here's what DAMMAD claims it's about:
DAMMAD is a grassroots anti-drug organization committed to helping in the fight against the drug problem in our communities, our workplaces and our schools.
It's time the drug dealers began to look over their shoulders, began to fear leaving their homes. Every person they see on the street could now be the one that sends them to jail - without ever leaving their home, without ever giving their name. No violent conflicts, no retribution. Information is the weapon of the 21st century. Finally, our communities have a safe way to fight back.
Well that's great news, because we could all use help with the drug problems in our schools. Remember, according to the drug czar:
"The world of children and teens is awash in prescription drugs and some parents can become inadvertent drug pushers by leaving their prescription opioids, stimulants and depressants in places where their kids can get them."
Except there's one major irony at work here. Look at DAMMAD's list of sponsors. It's not just the Oxycontin kings, Purdue Pharma. It's a veritable who's who among the people responsible for the "alarming trends in teen abuse of prescription drugs": Purdue Pharma, Janssen Pharmaceutical, Cardinal Health (pharmaceutical distribution), Dava Pharmaceuticals, Roche, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, UCB Pharma, Alpharma, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, CVS, and more. Virtually all Pharma related. It's absurd. Check it out here.
Let me repeat that with emphasis:
DAMMAD represents:
Purdue Pharma, Janssen Pharmaceutical, Cardinal Health (pharmaceutical distribution), Dava Pharmaceuticals, Roche, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, UCB Pharma, Alpharma, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, CVS, and more. Virtually all Pharma related.
So it sounds like our friends in the pharmaceutical trade are supporting DAMMAD as a way to improve their market position:
Prescription drugs are now the second most commonly used illegal drug by teens to get high, behind marijuana. The report, "Teens and Prescription Drugs: An Analysis of Recent Trends on the Emerging Drug Threat," released today by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), also shows that the majority of teens, who use these products, are getting them easily and for free.
Perhaps with DAMMAD's help, prescription drugs will become the #1 drug of choice for teen abuse.
It's funny that long after a $50,000 grant from Purdue, and with the huge list of other wealthy pharmaceutical sponsors, only $10,100 in rewards have been paid out. Where oh where is the rest of the money? There's a 2003 IRS 990 on the site that shows $113,000 in income a whopping $1,751 in rewards. And that's before Purdue's big grant in 2004. The link to the 990 from that year's broken, and 2005 isn't posted at all. Hmmm.... It may warrant more scrutiny from those financially inclined.
I was originally going to diary about the data behind the new ONDCP report, but got a little sidetracked on this interesting exercise. It's really amazing who's supporting - and benefiting - from America's war on drugs. I think it's time to call "BULLSHIT" on that war, too!