Are Dangerous Drugs, Including Percocet and Prozac, a Simple Mouse-Click Away On the Internet? Glamour Investigates in the April Issue.Entertainment Editors NEW YORK--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--March 13, 2000 While drug enforcement agencies have tried to wrestle heroin, crack and ecstasy off the streets, a much more insidious - and uncontrollable - drug epidemic has been taking root in America's living room. In its April issue, Glamour investigates how dangerous drugs, including Percocet and Prozac, are so easily available over the Internet that even a 12-year old child can purchase them. And with a growing number of domestic and foreign online pharmacies exploiting the Web, the government seems unable to respond to the crisis. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. U.S. Customs, almost 2 million illegal pharmaceutical pills mailed from overseas were seized in 1999 - more than two-and-a-half times.the number confiscated con·fis·cate tr.v. con·fis·cat·ed, con·fis·cat·ing, con·fis·cates 1. To seize (private property) for the public treasury. 2. To seize by or as if by authority. See Synonyms at appropriate. adj. in the previous year. Experts attribute this increase to the rise of foreign-based Internet pharmacies internet pharmacy Online A website that offers prescription drugs from the comfort of home Cons The IP or prescribing physician may not be qualified or licensed to prescribe drugs in all states. See Operation Cure-All, VIPPS. . "We believe the number is growing day by day," Tom McGinnis Thomas "Tom or Tommy" McGinnis (born November 27, 1947) is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour. McGinnis was born in Memphis, Tennessee. of the Food and Drug administration told Glamour. "The most recent estimates are: 200 international online sellers of prescription drugs prescription drug Prescription medication Pharmacology An FDA-approved drug which must, by federal law or regulation, be dispensed only pursuant to a prescription–eg, finished dose form and active ingredients subject to the provisos of the Federal Food, Drug, and another 200 domestic sellers. But that was last July. We believe it's higher now." A handful of pharmacy sites, like drugstore.com and planetrx.com, are legitimate operators that require you to fax, mail or have a doctor phone in prescriptions before they'll dispense a pill. But, according to Glamour's investigation, the vast majority of Internet drug sellers issue their own questionable "prescriptions" based on questionable "online consultations" - or they simply send the pills. Within two months - without ever stepping into a doctor's office - a Glamour reporter easily obtained Xenical, Prozac, Ultram, penicillin and injectible Xylocaine, an anesthetic used by dentists and surgeons. Also ordered were Valium and fen-phen (the diet drug combo banned after being linked to heart and lung disease lung disease Pulmonary disease Pulmonology Any condition causing or indicating impaired lung function Types of LD Obstructive lung disease–↓ in air flow caused by a narrowing or blockage of airways–eg, asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis; ) and GHB GHB abbr. gamma-hydroxybutyrate GHB 1 Gamma-hydroxybutyrate, γ-hydroxy-butyrate See GABA 2 Glycosylated hemoglobin, see there GHb Glycosylated hemoglobin, see there , a "recreational" drug linked to numerous deaths and sexual attacks. The April issue of Glamour hits news stands on March 14. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion