The doctor, often against his Hippocratic will, writes the prescription, and both he and the drug company win. The patient does too, at least in his or her mind. It must be confusing for some parents who attempt to lecture their children about the evils of drug abuse. Their arguments, though correct, will fall on the deaf ears of kids who spend the lecture with the image of their parents' medicine cabinet dancing in their rebellious minds. That cabinet is stuffed with pills designed to cure whatever might be bothering their parents, and sends a clear statement to kids that, regardless of what they say, their parents really do like drugs.
Schools have a similar dilemma.
These are serious questions, underscored by the toll this dependency is taking on our overall health. Antibiotics like penicillin have lost their punch, bowing to germs that have grown strong because they were given more opportunity to evolve resistance thanks to the miracle drug's overuse. The questions will become consistently more serious as science continues to make advancements in medicine and nanotechnology. So, we may be approaching a moment of risk on two fronts. First, our children will become acclimated to the concept that drugs are good, and should be used in lieu of personal strength or patience.