In addition to the $ 400. billion in sales generated by the "legal" monopolistic drug trade, don't forget we have a $ 100. billion dollar illegal drug trade to contend with.

The US consumes 80% of the world's illegal drugs, spends more money on drugs than on our military-even including the Iraq excursion.

And the cost of extra police, prisons, and aid to families involved is beyond measure. Here in Florida it cost an average of $ 25,000. to house an inmate in prison for one year. Some 40% of all inmates are on direct drug charges and probably another 20% did their crime to support a drug use.

We are an nation swimming in drugs, over prescribed, often conflicting meds are given because patients neglect to tell their physican what else they have been given.

Thanks for an interesting article that points towards the ungainly problems of an over-medicated society.

Publius