Do you listen carefully to the disclaimers required by law when the pharmaceutical companies advertise their legal and lethal drugs on your favorite television show? I doubt that you do. The truth is that big pharma and more importantly their distribution agencies are misleading the American people and the FDA is complicit. The side effects of these legal drugs can cause serious ailments and even death. When this occurs, these same companies pay tens of millions of dollars in reparations, but they are happy to agree to a settlement. They have already received billions of dollars in profit.

The opioid crisis results in nearly 60,000 deaths in America each year. The large drug companies are not concerned. They have known for nearly a decade that opioids, which relieve severe pain, are extremely addictive. Their attitude is that profit is more important than people. When average Americans discovered that these drugs were in short supply, and the cost became prohibitive, thousands of Americans turned to less expensive and more readily attainable heroin. Last year more than 58,000 Americans died from a drug overdose.

It has been recently exposed that several government agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Agency were aware of this disaster, but refused to take action. This fact rests on our nation’s politicians who accept tens of thousands of dollars from lobbyists in Washington. If you trust your government, you have been brainwashed and desperately need to seek the services of a mental healthcare professional.

Trump promised to end the problem during his 2016 campaign. Sadly, for the American people, he has ignored this serious problem during his first 16 months and 28 days in office. His concern is increasing his personal wealth, not the welfare of the American people.

Our nation has the most expensive healthcare system in the world. It is also the least effective. Companies who provide healthcare are more concerned with profit than the health of their clients.

The only answer for all Americans is universal healthcare which is controlled by legislation preventing excessive greed by the healthcare industry. We, the people, must demand that our elected officials place our needs as the priority. Special interests must cease their criminal actions. This is our country; not theirs.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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