What Some of the Public Says About Closing Pill Mills

December 20, 2011. Attorney General Mike DeWine, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy, and Scioto County officials have shut down the last pill mill in the county, as law enforcement agents served search warrants at the Greater Medical Advance clinic, the clinic doctor's residence, and the clinic owner's residence.

What a great day in Scioto County for the 

Scioto Rx Drug Action Team, 

SOLACE, and so many other people 

who have fought hard to end drug abuse!

Greater Medical Advance Doctor

Of course, there are always people who will disagree. Let's look at some of the actual comments posted in reaction to the AP news story about the closure of the final pill mill in Scioto County.

Comment One: 

"Just make all this stuff legal. No matter what the 'law' is, if people want it, they will get it. It'll cut down on government expenses, cut the people in prison by about 1/2, and generate more tax revenue. People will always be addicts no matter what the government and all these 'holy,' 'faithful' people think or want."

My Reaction: 

This is the age-old "there will always be drugs and addicts" argument. I guess if people want nuclear weapons, and some terrorists do want nuclear weapons, they will get them, no matter the protective measures. Sit back and fiddle while Rome burns?

For the reader's information, the drugs in the Pill Mills are legal; that is, they are legal if a qualified pain management doctor in good standing distributes them legally after making a thorough examination of the patient and then practices a safe pain management program that helps alleviate the problem. Pill mills care little about management of pain or about human life. They thrive on profit and excess distribution, which is usually sold to those addicted to the substances. 

And, cut down on expenses? 

Addiction is tremendously costly. According to Gary Becker and Kevin M. Murphy, in a report on addiction from the University of Chicago, addiction is an difficult topic for economists to undertake and measure, but because of the estimated $590 billion dollar price tag that addiction costs America each year, economists can’t help but take notice.
 

In addition, according to estimates from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a combined $276 billion was spent or lost in 2005 on health care, lost productivity, premature death, crime and auto accidents relating to alcohol and drug abuse. Roughly 75 percent of all that money was paid for by public sources, which means American taxpayers are footing three quarters of the bill. With 117 million taxpayers in the U.S., this means that the average amount paid by each individual taxpayers amounted to approximately $1,800. (http://www.cliffsidemalibu.com/interesting/economyofaddiction.htm)

Comment Two: 

"This (closing of Pill Mills) really doesn't matter. Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri -- its all too easy to get pills. And it's not just like 1 medication. You get 6 and can quadruple your money on the streets. Maybe if the government didn't make it so lucrative, no one would do it."

My Reaction: 

Here is the Government-Sponsored Drug Addiction Theory. 

So, the government sets the prices on street drugs? This theory has people believe the government controls distribution through enforcement, and since the supply of illegal drugs dwindles with proper enforcement, prices on the street go up. The drug black markets, drug cartels, and simple user supply/demand economics actually control drug prices. Enforcement takes steps to maximize public safety.

Making huge amounts of money illegally is the criminal's dream. He feels no moral responsibility himself to protect others. The dealer distributes poison to his customers and justifies his actions by believing that as long as he, himself, didn't make his client ingest the product, he is not responsible for any physical or mental harm that results. 

Such criminals have no conscience. Six times or five times or two times the profit matters only because of the amount of greed within those who operate the drug business -- their bloodstained profits depend upon abusing as many customers as possible. Some even have the nerve to call their trade free enterprise.

Comment Three:  

"The War on Drugs is just an excuse to help justify and fund the Police State that we are becoming. They (the police) especially love the "automatic confiscation" clauses where they take your home, automobiles, bank accounts, and all other valuable things you might have, so that you cannot properly afford to defend yourself with a good lawyer. They also love to taser, beat, shoot, and abuse suspects before they have even been judged in court. Our so-called 'American freedom' is rapidly disappearing!"

My Reaction:  

This is the popular "America is a police state" stance. People who believe this often point to laws enacted to benefit the general public and complain somehow that the police, not lawmakers and officials they elect, have created these rules in order to put their boots on the neck of the public.  "Police state" believers often confuse progress with loss of freedom.

I guess the "police state" believers expect criminals to be allowed to use confiscated drug money to "buy" lawyers that excel in getting "not guilty" verdicts. In fact, the War On Drugs Asset Forfeiture laws allow the police and/or government to hold onto items/property/real estate if the owner is engaged in illegal activities (like if they used their car to transport cocaine).  

The items that are not returned are usually put up for auction to the highest bidder. The money made from the auction goes to the police, local government, and a drug-enforcement fund (used to support the drug enforcement teams). 

Incidents involving the use of excessive force by the police frequently receive attention from the media, legislators, and, in some instances, civil and even criminal courts. Whether the excessive force is aberrant behavior of individual officers or is a pattern and practice of an entire law enforcement agency, both the law and public opinion condemn such incidents. 

Bad cops do exist just as bad babysitters, bad parents, and bad doctors do exist. They must be punished. But, the statistics speak to the lack of prevalence concerning police brutality:

• Among all calls for service, force was used by the police less than 1 percent of the time, according to a study examining police use of force in 1999 and 2000. (International Association of Chiefs of Police, 2001. Police Use of Force In America.) 
• The complaint rate for police use of force was 6.6 complaints per 100 sworn officers, according to a study of large law enforcement departments. Of these complaints, 92 percent had insufficient evidence to take disciplinary action against the officer. (Hickman, M.J., 2006. Citizen complaints about police use of force: Organizational, administrative, and environmental correlates. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Los Angeles, CA, November 1, 2006.)

As far as my view of police brutality, I usually find that the people who complain about excessive force by the police are the same people who, in their own times of need for enforcement and protection, complain about the police reacting with too little force to alleviate the danger of their situations. They want to write laws according to their own needs. Personal concepts of "law and order" are very subjective.

Comment Four:  

"So a clinic writes out an enormous amount of prescriptions, pharmacies fill the orders and nobody higher up on the pill chain sees any red flags? Not the pharmaceutical sales person, drug industry...etc no one? hmmmm"

My Reaction: 

These "red flags" have been waving for many years now. If the public doesn't react swiftly and apply pressure to our congresspeople to investigate, re-evaluate and make needed changes to the manner in which Big Pharma conducts business, the drug abuse epidemic will continue to grow. We need help from the federal government, and we need it now to be, in the least bit, proactive. Needless deaths continue each day because of apathy.

Greater Medical Advance Owner

Aaron Haslam, the painkiller drug czar for Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. likened the fight against pill mills to squeezing a balloon.

"They're going to find ways to make money," he said. "If it's not in Scioto County, they're going to go to another county in Ohio or they're going to go to Kentucky, to Indiana, to Pennsylvania, to Florida, to whatever state will allow them to do this until they're policed and forced out."

I am proud to say Scioto County has tightly squeezed the hell out of the Pill Mill balloon. I just pray the foul contents of the sphere do not escape and begin to reek in other communities. In order to save these places from devastation, activists in our neighboring states must step up and ignite thousands of flames to extinguish the evil inherent in their trade.

Full Letter To Michelle Leonhart

This is a letter to the head of the DEA Diversion Investigation and Control, Administrator Michelle Leonhart.

I sincerely hope some of you will write your own - do it now as the matter is at hand. Also you can sign a petition at this site, so just click this link: http://www.change.org/petitions/stop-physicians-pharmacy

Dear Ms. Leonhart:

As of December, 2011, we, the citizens of Scioto County, have been successful in our grass roots efforts to shut down the last of 10 illegal pain clinics (Pill Mills) that recently blighted our county. A couple of years ago, Scioto County had the dubious distinction of being the first county in the United States to declare an Rx Drug Public Health Epidemic.

Thanks to the efforts of local groups such as The Scioto County Rx Drug Task Force, SOLACE, Fix the Scioto County Problem of Drug Abuse and concerted efforts by health officials, law enforcement, city council, county commissioners, rehabilitation services, private businesses, colleges, schools and many other concerned citizens, we have made a strong statement about the necessity of ending drug abuse in our Appalachian home.

We have supported and cooperated with state and federal officials and offices such as the governor, the attorney general, the DEA, the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service, the Appalachian Regional Commission, state representatives and senators, the state pharmacy board, and the state board of physicians to help pass 

House Bill 93 and to insure effective operations will continue to stop drug abuse.

Our movement strongly supports simple principles:

A. “Teamwork makes the dream work.” We support all active efforts to stop the epidemic of drug abuse in Scioto County.

B. People (including physicians, pharmacists, dealers) involved in the illegal drug trade are not welcome in Scioto County.

C. People who insist on being involved with the business of illegally prescribing, selling, or distributing drugs in Scioto County will be found and brought to justice.

Our adjacent neighbors to the north in Pike County have been one of our important“brothers in arms” with the movement. We in Scioto County understand the problem of drug abuse is not isolated, and we know the importance of strengthening the rest of our state and the rest of Appalachia. Unless this unification is accomplished, all of us who reside nearby will suffer the evil consequences.

We understand Piketon Mayor Billy Spencer needs our continued support. Physicians Pharmacy, proposed by Mike Concerta and business partner Steven Hillman, a Columbus attorney, may soon be open for business in Piketon. Mr. Hillman has represented several pain clinics around the state, including former Pill Mills in Scioto County.

Rightly so, Mayor Spencer, through the social media, has asked for help. If Physicians Pharmacy opens for business, one more Pill Mill will operate illegally in Ohio. The pain, suffering and death that accompany these businesses leave permanent scars that never heal. Scioto County knows this; we have suffered this fate; and we will continue to fight to stop the madness created by Pill Mills.

We understand Mr. Hillman has said the pharmacy would be in operation like other pharmacies, to fill all types of prescriptions. And, last year, Hillman said pharmacist Larry James of Columbus would be the pharmacist dispensing the medications. We do not believe this is a “typical pharmacy.” It is a Pill Mill.

We urge you, Ms. Michelle Leonhart, to deny the opening and operations of Physicians Pharmacy in Piketon, Ohio. We understand you, as DEA Administrator, will soon be making a decision about this matter. We also ask that the DEA's Office of Diversion Control make a recommendation that Physicians Pharmacy be denied the right to open. Thank you.

To:

Administrator Michelle Leonhart

8701 Morrissette Drive

Springfield, VA 22152

Also:

Joseph Rannazzsi
Deputy Assistant Administrator
(same address)

Zohydro On the Horizon -- The Beginnings of Genix-cide

Pharmaceutical company Zogenix is developing a new "lead product candidate" called Zohydro. If approved and released, this extended-release hydrocodone will allow Big Pharma to introduce government-sponsored "genix-cide" -- deliberate and systematic destruction of an entire group of people.

Here is the strategy developed by Zogenix:

"At Zogenix, our core strategy is to commercialize 

and develop differentiated central nervous system 

(CNS) and pain therapeutics that can address 

significant unmet medical needs and 

overcome limitations of existing products."

According to Zogenix, this is the future of sales generated by Zohydro:

"We (Zogenix) believe Zohydro could 

generate sales from both 

patients who are using 

immediate-release opioid products

on a chronic basis and 

patients already using extended-release opioids."

Read about the product at the Zogenix site: http://www.zogenix.com/index.php/products/zx002/

What is Zohydro?

If approved, it would mark the first time patients could legally buy pure hydrocodone. Existing products combine the drug with nonaddictive painkillers such as acetaminophen. Hydrocodone belongs to family of drugs known as opiates or opioids because they are chemically similar to opium. They include morphine, heroin, oxycodone, codeine, and methadone.

Critics are especially worried about Zohydro, a 12 hour, timed-release drug meant for managing moderate to severe pain, because abusers could crush it for an intense, immediate high. (Pat Dollard, "Zohydro: Painkiller 10 Times Stronger Than Vicodin Causes Concerns," December 26 2011)

Zohydro comes in 10MG, 20MG, 30MG, 40MG and 50MG capsules.

What is "Chronic Pain"?

Zogenix defines chronic pain as "pain that lasts beyond the healing of an injury or that persists beyond three months."

Common types of chronic pain include...

lower back pain, 

arthritis, 

headache and 

face and jaw pain. 

While mild pain does not typically stop an individual from participating in his or her daily activities, moderate pain may prevent an individual from participating in his or her daily activities and severe pain typically stops an individual from participating in his or her daily activities and induces a patient to exhibit pain avoidance behaviors.

Why Could the Product, and Others Like It Unleash Genix-cide? 

Why the new fears for this old yet new drug? Companies such as Zogenix can keep it Schedule III. Why is that important? Less regulation. Not only that, but the sheer amount of opiate can be deadly. It would take 10 times the original hydrocodone painkiller Vicodin (if they were 5/500) to equal one Zohydro. Zohydro with its 50mgs of hydrocodone in a “time release” formula will also be easily crushed and snorted by abusers.
Oxycodone is now the most-abused medicine in the U.S., with hydrocodone second, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Thousands of legitimate pain patients are becoming addicted to these powerful prescription painkillers, they say, in addition to the thousands more who abuse the drugs.

Consider statistics that show emergency room vistis related to hydrocodone abuse have shot from 19,221 in 2000 to 86,258 in 2009, according to the DEA. In Florida alone, hydrocodone caused 910 deaths and contributed to 1,803 others between 2003 and 2007.

The Deadly Deluge Is Coming

Zogenix has completed three rounds of patient testing, and last week it announced it had held a final meeting with FDA officials to talk about its upcoming drug application. It plans to file the application in early 2012 and have Zohydro on the market by early 2013.

The latest drug studies come as more pharmaceutical companies are getting into the $10 billion-a-year legal market for powerful yet highly addictive opioid narcotics. Purdue Pharma and Cephalon, a Frazer, Pa.-based unit of Israel-based Teva Pharmaceuticals, are conducting late-stage trials of their own hydrocodone drugs, according to documents filed with federal regulators. In May, Purdue Pharma received a patent applying extended-release technology to hydrocodone. Egalet has finished the most preliminary stages of safety testing and could have a product on the market as early as 2015 but wants to see how the other companies fare with the FDA before deciding whether to move forward.

“It’s like the wild west,” said Peter Jackson, co-founder of Advocates for the Reform of Prescription Opioids. “The whole supply-side system is set up to perpetuate this massive unloading of opioid narcotics on the American public.” ("New Painkiller Zohydro Worries Abuse Experts," Associated Press Herald Tribune, December 27 2011)

“I have a big concern that this could be the next OxyContin,” said April Rovero, president of the National Coalition Against Prescription Drug Abuse. “We just don’t need this on the market.”

Big Pharma's "Bottom Line"

You just read strategy of Zogenix. Review it and consider the red print. Review the Zogenix belief for the future sales of Zohydro. Again, consider the red print. Lastly, re-read the red print describing the types of chronic pain for which the product is intended.

Sales of prescription opiate narcotics including oxycodone, hydrocodone and others are worth $10 billion per year in the United States alone. According to Peter Jackson of Advocates for the Reform of Prescription Opioids:

"Pharmaceutical firms are most interested in profits 

even if it means fostering further addiction 

among the American public."

("Experts Warn of Dangers of Zohydro, a New Pain Killer," 

http://www.fitnesshealth101.com/news, December 28 2011)

With a new powerful and addictive prescription painkiller coming on the horizon, it’s important for consumers to inform themselves of the dangers of opiate narcotics. I believe in order to avoid genix-cide, we should lobby to keep Zohydro and other new and similar hydrocodone products off the market. 

Many greedy doctors and others involved in the illegal distribution of drugs will use these products to deliberately addict and, subsequently, destroy the masses. We simply do not need them.

Can You Find Peace On Earth?

Luke 2:8-16 
King James Bible

8  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15  And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16  And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

The adoration of the shepherds is an important part of the Christmas story in the Bible.The scripture describing the events during the birth of Christ is taken from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke. As shepherds were tending their flocks in the countryside near Bethlehem, they became terrified by the appearance of an angel. This angel carried the message of good news for all people that Christ, the savior, had been born in the town of David.

Soon, many more angels appeared with another message (The blog today details the contents.), and then the shepherds decided to travel immediately to Bethlehem, where they found Mary and Joseph and the infant Jesus lying in a manger.

If you can imagine this spectacular scene, you can understand the trepidation of the shepherds. The unearthly appearance of a multitude of angels delivering their rather pointed yet hopeful message while illuminating the dark skies would put any human in a state of awe and bewilderment. After all, these shepherds were busy with the routine work of tending their flocks. Would any of them imagine messengers of God would deliver this information, one of the most earthshaking news stories of all time, to them at such a time and place?

As the "multitude of heavenly hosts" praised God, they spoke words that have been recorded (depending on  the version of the Bible) as...

Luke 2:14 (KJV)

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

Luke 2:14 (NKJV) 

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

Luke 2:14 (NASB) 

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

Luke 2:14 (NIV)

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”

All of these translations are fairly similar; however, depending upon their syntax and vocabulary, they show a great difference as to the angels' intended message. It is evident in the translations that the first part of their message is praise to the glory of God. But, two camps of Biblical scholars have debated the interpretation of the second part of the message -- the promise of peace to mankind.

The King James version of Luke 2:14 is widely accepted today as meaning "peace" and "goodwill" came to all on earth with the arrival of the savior Jesus Christ. The New American Standard version and the New International version, however, denote peace came to those people in God's favor.

What Was the Peace Brought To Earth?

According to scripture, the Savior was said to be the Prince of peace.

Isaiah 9:6
New International Version (NIV) 

⁶ For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given,
   and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
   Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

What exactly is the "peace" that Jesus brought to the world? Christ, Himself, may be representative of "peace" because he is the donor of all true peace and real prosperity, both external, which his people have in the world, and with each other; and internal, which they have in their own breasts, through believing in him, and attending on his ordinances; and eternal, which they shall have for ever with him in the world to come. (http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/luke-2-14.html)
 
One basic understanding of the world is that sinners are at war with God and against each other. Yet, Jesus came to make peace; and this he did, in the following ways (http://bible.cc/luke/2-14.htm):

1. By reconciling the world to God by His atonement.


2. By bringing the sinner to a state of peace with his Maker; inducing him to lay down the weapons of rebellion and to submit his soul to God, thus giving him the peace which passeth all understanding.


3. By diffusing in the heart universal good-will to people - "disposing," people to lay aside their differences, to love one another, to seek each other's welfare, and to banish envy, malice, pride, lust, passion, and covetousness - in all ages the most fruitful causes of difference among people. And,


4. By diffusing the principles of universal peace among nations. If the gospel of Jesus should universally prevail, there would be an end of war. In the days of the millennium there will be universal peace; all the causes of war will have ceased; people will love each other and do justly; all nations will be brought under the influence of the gospel.

 
To Whom Is Peace Given?

The free will of man, constantly sought by God's infinite Love, is a guiding thread in both the New American Standard and New International versions. God wills [wants] that all should be saved, without geographical limits, without privileges of race, of traditions, of culture, without any other discrimination that is not the free choice of man -- from whom is required at least the will not to oppose any resistance to the benefit of redemption.

Are not people, small or great, measured by their own capacity of adhering to the action of God, or by their stubbornness in rejecting it? Two examples, among the most representative: Mary of Magdala, who willed [wanted] to redeem a life of sin; Judas of Kerioth [Iscariot], who did not will [want] to, and broke a life of election.

Perhaps the original Greek text of the scripture can shed light on the gift of peace.The Greek text that is accepted by most modern scholars today uses the words epi gēs eirēnē en anthrōpois eudokias (ἐπὶ γῆς εἰρήνη ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας), literally "on earth peace to men of good will," (Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, 1997)

Thus one common understanding of Luke 2:14 

may be gained by reading these English words: 

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, 

and on earth peace among those whom he favors."

So, were the angels in Luke 2:13-14 saying there would be (at the time or in the future) peace for all people on the planet or were they saying that peace would be bestowed upon those who please God the Almighty? Might the popular King James version of the text be an example of an inferior translation?

Biblical scholars look elsewhere in the gospels for answers. Jesus, Himself, prophesied that the future would bring “wars and rumors of wars” and that “nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” (Matthew 24:6-7) Even more than that, Jesus flatly said, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword." (Matthew 10:34)

And yet, the Bible speaks of a time yet come when there will be peace on earth, and Jesus will be the cause of it. That time will be His 1,000 year reign upon this earth. Isaiah 2:4 describes it this way:

"He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore."

Did the shepherds witness the true grace of God? The angels' message, meant for those who maintain favor with the Almighty, may be peace among believers -- a salve for those who are weary from trying to meet the expectations of others, for those who worry about uncertain futures, and for those who worry about their worthiness of salvation. The arrival of Jesus secured the promises of peace defined as "freedom from civil disturbance" and defined as "a personal state of concord or tranquility." Consider these words from Colossians:

Colossians 1:14-20
American Standard Version (ASV)

 ¹⁴ (Jesus) in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins:

 ¹⁵ who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation;

 ¹⁶ for in him were all things created, in the heavens and upon the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and unto him;

 ¹⁷ and he is before all things, and in him all things consist.

 ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

 ¹⁹ For it was the good pleasure of the Father that in him should all the fullness dwell;

 ²⁰ and through him to reconcile all things unto himself, having made peace through the blood of his cross; through him, I say, whether things upon the earth, or things in the heavens.

Who Possesses Peace?

People who wish the peace of God to rule in their hearts must utilize their free will to accept Christ as their savior and seek his favor whether they desire external, internal, or eternal peace. The angels in the Biblical account of the adoration of the shepherds came down from heaven to bring this message to the world. I view this peace more as a contract between God and humans than a gift from God with "no strings attached."

Just for simplicity, let's say our Maker, through the multitude of angels gathered  over the fields near Bethlehem at Christ's birth, has offered a contract of peace to one of the shepherds below. The shepherd recognizes a good deal and accepts what he believes will bring peace to his life as a generous gift from God.

But, after some time, the shepherd realizes he has been dealing with a lot of strife and feels he has been denied the promise of peace. He decides to file a complaint as a plaintiff thus requesting a proper remedy. So, to resolve their differences, the two parties, God and the shepherd, have decided to have their dispute settled by the popular television host Judge Judy. (Just one of her many wonderful quotes: "On your best day you're not as smart as I am on my worst day.")

The day in court commences. In a case that deals with contract law, Judge Judy has no problem seeing that both parties are competent and the purpose of the contract is legal (holy in Christian terms, at least). In addition, the judge rules proper consideration (benefit to the "promiser") has been met through the initial "glory" and "praise" first given by the awestruck shepherd in the field.

And, after reviewing Luke 2, Judge Judy determines that a definite offer has been made. Now, let's say the judge accepts the Greek translation. She quickly notes a condition in the offer as "peace on earth among those He favors." It is evident that peace was not a gift since it was given with these terms of acceptance. If peace had been a gift, no obligations would need to be met.

Yet, in order for a contract to be binding, acceptance must be held in strict compliance with the terms of the offer. The shepherd, unfortunately, has been acting in ways undesirable to God. He had done many things to fall out of the Almighty's favor. And, when the judge hears this convincing testimony from Almighty God, she believes the shepherd has been trying to "pull the wool" over God's eyes. (Sorry, I couldn't resist the pun.) No wonder he had been experiencing unrest and very little peace.

Judge Judy determines that since the shepherd did not maintain strict compliance to constitute acceptance of the promise for "contractual peace," the contract is void. She declares the Almighty owes no peace to the shepherd, and she finds for the defendant.

The point I am trying to make is that God offers the promise of peace to those who maintain his favor. That peace came to earth in the form of Jesus Christ. Those who choose to have that peace must believe and live in ways that uplift God through Jesus.

Money, power, beauty, high position, even good health cannot guarantee peace. So many today believe that their temporal existence can be made peaceful through their own calculated, often greedy, manipulation.  Without God, a person is denied the peaceful promise spoken by the angels; they do not realize that the gift of Jesus must be accepted within conditions that require them to act in ways pleasing to God. Jesus can bring the sinner like you and me to a state of peace with God that passes all understanding.

E-Pharmacies Alert

Americans take pills for all their ills and inconveniences -- to diet, to sleep, to focus, to perk up, to have better sex. The list of maladies supposedly helped by pills is monumental in number and distribution is encouraged by both pharmaceutical companies pushing profits and medical doctors fearing under-prescibing the symptoms of pain. In short, it seems almost everyone, even more and more youngsters, are taking prescription medication. One author recently called production, distribution, and consumption the “pharmaceuticalized American life.” (Michiko Kakutani, from book Tense? Lonely? There’s Promise in a Pill, The New York Times, September 30, 2005

"The total number of annual prescriptions in the United States now stands at about three billion (figures from 2005)," says Greg Critser, author of Generation Rx. "The cost per year? About $180 billion, headed to an estimated $414 billion by 2011." He adds that spending on all forms of drugs to treat childhood and adolescent behavioral disorders rose by 77 percent between 2000 and 2003, "with 65 percent of all children on such drugs taking at least one antidepressant." (Michiko Kakutani, from book Tense? Lonely? There's Promise in a Pill, The New York Times, September 30 2005)

Professor Michael Wilkes of U.C. Davis School of Medicine claims that “Americans have grown accustomed to having a drug for every single problem and for things we wouldn’t think of as problems.” ("Healthcheck: Are Doctors Over-Prescribing Medications?" CBS  television broadcast, February 9, 2006) This way of thinking has created an environment in which physicians, under pressure from their harried patients, are not under-prescribing, which would be neglectful, but actually over-prescribing.

Prescription writing has become more and more patient driven. Here is how it works. Patients walk into their doctors' offices and demand that the physicians prescribe them a certain medicine. (Amy Harmon, "Young, Assured and Playing Pharmacist to Friends." The New York Times, November 16, 2005) Of course, the pharmaceutical companies, in their slick and slanted advertising campaigns, have created intense desires for the products and essentially promised that these prescriptions will "cure what ails you."

Make no mistake, physicians who won’t prescribe what the patients want soon find themselves one patient short because the patient will move on to find a doctor willing to prescribe whatever he desires. (Amy Harmon, "Young, Assured and Playing Pharmacist to Friends." The New York Times, November 16, 2005) This has become commonly known as "doctor shopping." As patients actually go from doctor to doctor to find a doctor that will prescribe what they want, they become the self-appointed, primary purveyors of their own needed treatment, and they often ignore doctors' diagnoses.

Driven by drug companies, who convince shoppers with clever ad campaigns that rx drugs no longer carry the taboo they did in the past, these doctor shoppers have modified the course of normal treatment. No longer do doctors absolutely control the supply of meds. Knowing this, the pharmaceutical firms' focus on sales has changed prescription management from being reliant on doctors' expertise and evaluation to being patient driven and very often irresponsible.

This dependence on prescriptions is not just reserved for the adult population. America’s children are being placed on drugs to solve all sorts of “disorders.” (Gardiner Harris, "Sleeping Pill Use by Youths Soars, Study Says," The New York Times, October 19, 2005)  A recent study found that the use of sleeping pills among children and very young adults increased eighty-five percent from 2000 to 2004.147 Many children taking sleeping pills are also given pills to treat attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADD and ADHD).

We have become a 21st century culture that accepts the idea that pills can cure virtually any discipline problem or other social difficulty as it presents itself in life. Sociologist Christopher Lasch, in his book, The Culture of Narcissism, writes about the tendency to seek medical treatment for life and family problems. This inclination results in “people who grow up thinking there’s a pill for every ill and who seek quick fixes for life’s troubles.” (Christoper Lasch, The Culture of Narcissiam: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations, 1991)

E- Pharmacies

America demands more and more convenience at reduced prices to accommodate their pharmaceutical needs and desires. Pharmacies which conduct business on the Internet (e-pharmacies) have grown exponentially over the past fifteen years. Two million packages of pharmaceuticals arrive annually by international mail from Thailand, India, South Africa and other points. Still more packages come from online pharmacies in Canada.("Millions of Americans Look Outside U.S. for Drugs," Washington Post, October 23 2003) These types of pharmacies provide many advantages to consumers, including convenience and reduced prices.

Authorities are concerned with the prevalence of e-pharmacies because the Internet simplifies bypassing pharmaceutical safeguards. (Janet Woodcock, Hearing Before the Subcomm. on Oversight and Investigations of the H. Comm. on Commerce, 106th Congress. 1999),  The Internet makes it easier for patients to bypass pharmaceutical safeguards because some pharmacies dispense drugs without a prescription or without appropriate identity verification. These e-pharmacies allow prescription drug users to obtain their medications without having to comply with state prescription drug regulations.

There are e-pharmacies that offer legitimate services and adhere to the safeguards, but there are
also “rogue” pharmacies that circumvent them. Herein lies the problem -- some of these e-pharmacies are making doctor shipping relevant.

Rogue drug sites often trace back to complex organized criminal networks that are manufacturing unregulated and dangerous medicines and are knowingly peddling these dangerous drugs to consumers around the world. Rogue Internet drug sites are often a major source of funds for criminal networks.

There are basically three types of online pharmacies:

 1. Mail-order Pharmacies

General's Acct. Off. Report ot Congressional Requesters, Internet Pharmacies , 2000) These pharmacies abide by the safeguards which are in place and offer many advantages to consumers. Because they follow pharmaceutical regulations, these
pharmacies are considered safe and are not under strict scrutiny by federal and state authorities. They, generally, are not seen as contributors to the diversion and abuse of prescription drugs.

2. Questionnaire Pharmacies

A second type of pharmacy, questionnaire pharmacies, provide medication without a physical examination by the doctor. (See U.S. General's Acct. Off. Report ot Congressional Requesters, Internet Pharmacies , 2000) The examination is replaced by a medical questionnaire in which the patient details medical symptoms. These types of pharmacies typically have a physician on staff who evaluates the questionnaires and makes a diagnosis based upon the questionnaire. Questionnaires are often brief and very general in nature.

Here is an example of a questionnaire operation. According to their plea agreements, from March 2005 to October 28, 2005, Jose Riopedre opened and operated Waterview Pharmacy (Waterview), located in Laurel, Maryland, with the assistance of his wife, Susana Mende and from April 2006 to October 2006, Riopedre and Mendez were involved with the operations of Union Pharmacy (Union), located in Silver Spring, Maryland, which was owned by co-conspirator Josiah Akinsoji.

"Both of these pharmacies received all of their prescriptions orders from the Internet and were part of an Internet pharmacy business that was connected to a network of websites, businesses, and doctors who utilized the Internet unlawfully to sell controlled substances to customers throughout the United States.

 

"The unlawful Internet pharmacy websites, several of which were controlled by co-conspirator Eduardo Garcia, allowed customers to place orders for various prescription drugs, including controlled substances, after the customer completed a brief on-line questionnaire describing the customer’s medical background and the customer’s reason for requesting the prescription drug. 

"The questionnaires were forwarded to a group of licensed physicians located in Puerto Rico, who purportedly reviewed the questionnaires and approved the requests for the controlled substances. The customer never met or spoke with a doctor, or had his or her questionnaire verified. The controlled substances were not issued for a legitimate medical purpose because the customers ordering the controlled substances and the doctors approving the orders had not established a valid doctor-patient relationship. 

"Customers were not required to submit a valid form of identification or a valid prescription prior to ordering the controlled substances through either ordering method. The unlawful Internet pharmacy websites lacked controls to prevent customers from ordering multiple prescriptions for the same controlled substance on the same day or before a previous prescription should be refilled.
  

"Mendez and Riopedre also operated two businesses that collected the payments from the customers, ordered and paid for the controlled substances to fill the drug orders, paid the brick and mortar pharmacies which actually filled each prescription and paid the coconspirator doctors for each customer order reviewed.

"During their respective periods of operation, Waterview and Union filled and distributed by overnight delivery thousands of prescriptions for Phentermine, a drug generally used for weight loss, outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. These drug orders were filled in Maryland and shipped to customers in numerous states including Louisiana, Ohio, Florida and Texas. This business netted Riopedre and Mendez in excess of $1,500,000." (Ausa Vickie E. Leduc and Marcia Murphy, "Two Conspirators Sentenced In Illegal Internet Distribution of Prescription Diet Drugs," http://www.justice.gov/usao/md, July 15 2009)

3. Rogue Pharmacies

The third type of pharmacies have been called “rogue” pharmacies because they do not require a prescription or consultation and do not even pretend to require a medical history by using a questionnaire. (See U.S. General's Acct. Off. Report ot Congressional Requesters, Internet Pharmacies , 2000)

These pharmacies dispense prescription drugs without any type of physical examination and typically do not employ physicians to review questionnaires. Generally, these types of pharmacies allow consumers to easily obtain prescriptions without verifying identification or the existence of a legitimate medical problem. These sites are frequently used to obtain the types of drugs that are abused most often. (Jerry Markon, "Online Drug Ring Bust in Virginia Charges 10 People in 3 States: Federal Probe Alleges 6 Million Doses Dispensed Illegally," Washington Post, December 4, 2003

Here is an example of such a business. Rx-commission.com is a rogue operation. The drugs consumers get from the site all come from India. Proprietors of this program are from outside of the United States and have a strong Russian connection. (Brian Krebs, "FDA Targets Rogue Internet Pharmacies," The Washington Post, November 19 2009)

"The FDA's office of criminal investigations said it sent 22 warning letters to the operators of such sites, and alerted the appropriate ISPs and domain name registrars that the sites were selling phony pharmaceuticals, all without requiring a prescription.The agency said none of the sites represent pharmacies located in the United States or Canada, as many people claim.

"According to the letters sent to owners of the 136 targeted sites, the online stores hawked everything from powerful controlled substances, including Valium and Xanax, to lifestyle drugs like Viagra and Levitra. Some sites even offered prescription drugs that have not yet been approved for distribution or sale in the United States, such as the anti-obesity drug Acomplia. 

"'Many U.S. consumers are being misled in the hopes of saving money by purchasing prescription drugs over the Internet from illegal pharmacies,' FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg said in a prepared statement. 'Unfortunately, these drugs are often counterfeit, contaminated, or unapproved products, or contain an inconsistent amount of the active ingredient. Taking these drugs can pose a danger to consumers.'"

"Many of the sites named in the complaint, such as wellknowndrugs.com and 24-7meds.com, already have been yanked offline. FDA spokeswoman Karen Riley said at least 90 of the sites named in the letters have been taken down so far."

Tell-tale Signs of a Rogue Pharmacy

They are not currently licensed by federal or state regulatory agencies or are not certified by the NABP's (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy) VIPPS (Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site) program.

They do not require you to visit your doctor to get a prescription. They advertise "NO PRIOR PRESCRIPTION REQUIRED" or "FREE ONLINE DOCTOR CONSULTATION."
They do not list their address. Even a site purporting to be "just across the border in Canada" may be located in Thailand, Sri Lanka, or China.
Rather than carry a full inventory of drugs as do legitimate pharmacies, they emphasize highly popular drugs, such as painkillers, weight loss, smoking cessation, and impotence drugs.
They inundate consumers with unsolicited e-mails (spam) and promote the illegal aspects of their services on large search engines.
Addressing the Problem

Recent research conducted by the Partnership at Drugfree.org found that 1 in 6 Americans - 36 million people - purchase prescription medication via the Internet without a valid prescription. When consumers purchase from a website that does not adhere to U.S. law governing the use of prescriptions, they bypass all the protections put in place to protect them; namely, that the medicines are safe and have been prescribed by a physician, and that the prescription has been dispensed by a licensed U.S. pharmacist in a licensed U.S. pharmacy. (Libby Baney, "Rogue Internet Drug Sellers Put Us At Risk," The Washington Times, November 10 2011)

The NABS has found that at least 92 percent of entities offering to sell drugs online are illegitimate and operate in clear violation of U.S. laws that were put in place to protect patients. Current data indicates approximately 80,000 websites that do not meet the U.S. standards for legitimacy, such as VIPPS, have offered prescription drugs in the last year.


The growing problem of illicit sales of medications online has garnered legislative attention. Last month, Reps. Lamar Smith, Texas Republican; John Conyers Jr., Michigan Democrat; Bob Goodlatte, Virginia Republican; Howard L. Berman, California Democrat, and eight other members of Congress introduced the Stop Online Piracy Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. It is companion legislation to a bill authored in the Senate earlier this year.

The bill addresses a number of important intellectual-property issues. 

It also helps protect consumers against the public health threat of illicit sales of medications online. 

The bill encourages private companies to stop doing business with illegal online drug sellers 

that endanger public health. Included are companies that host these sites, 

provide associated advertising or help facilitate their payment transactions. 

If enacted, this legislation could help shut down the worst-of-the-worst rogue Internet drug sellers. 

 (Libby Baney, "Rogue Internet Drug Sellers Put Us At Risk," The Washington Times, November 10 2011)

IN THE WAR ON PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE, E-PHARMACIES ARE MAKING DOCTOR
SHOPPING IRRELEVANT,  2007 Amy L. Cadwell, Houston Journal of Health Law & Policy
ISSN 1534-7907. Read this here: http://www.law.uh.edu/hjhlp/issues/vol_71/hhl103.pdf

The Last Pill Mill: A New Beginning

On the morning of December 20, Attorney General Mike DeWine, the Ohio Board of Pharmacy and Scioto County officials have shut down what they say is the last pill mill in Scioto County. Let me repeat:

The last pill mill in Scioto County has been shut down!

"Law enforcement agents served search warrants at Greater Medical Advance, on Ohio River Road, Tuesday morning. They also served warrants at the clinic doctor's residence, and the clinic owner's residence.

"Investigators say 14,000 prescriptions for narcotics came out of Greater Medical Advance in nine months. The clinic was only open 36 hours a week and had only one doctor.

"A Scioto County Grand Jury has indicted Dr. Victor Andrei Georgescu, the clinic operator, and George Marshall Adkins, the clinic owner, on counts of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, conspiracy to engage in corrupt activity, funding drug trafficking and permitting drug abuse." ("Wheelersburg Pain Clinic Raided; Four Face Charges," WSAZ News, http://www.wsaz.com/news, December 20 2011)

Dr. Volkman - the start of a lot of our pain.

Just a couple of years ago, a group of professionals from many fields and some other concerned citizens formed a group called The Scioto County Rx Drug Action Team to combat a growing health epidemic largely caused by prescription drug abuse. At one time, ten pain clinics, commonly known as "pill mill" operations, illegally distributed prescriptions that promoted patient drug addiction and doctor shopping enterprises. Some of these operations even had in-house pharmacies to help lawbreakers aid attainment of large quantities of opiates.

Scioto County's pill mills provided easy access to criminals from Ohio and other states such as Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana, and Tennessee. Both drug dependents and dealers from all over the country flocked to the pill mills as a means to score drugs and make large sums of money. Scioto County became a Mecca for those seeking rx drugs and the epicenter of prescription drug addiction.

The county, with its outrageously high rate of distribution, experienced tremendous surges in overdose deaths, drug addictions, hepatitis infections, drug-related crimes, social disruptions, and births of addicted babies. The greedy owners of the pill mills and the unethical doctors who worked there fleeced the customers for millions of dollars -- dollars that directly caused irreparable pain and suffering throughout all Scioto communities.

As the rest of the country became aware of the epidemic in the county, the media took hold of the fascinating story of a type of quasi-legal addiction to rx drugs in small, rural Appalachian communities. As public knowledge of the problem grew, so did the movement to remove the pill mills. Many people formed grass roots efforts to further the cause as the local and State governments, medical boards and medical community, legislators, legal representatives, and interest groups began to apply pressure for better laws, better enforcement, and increased civic action.

The results of the work initiated by the action team have been amazing. Besides the obvious primary benefit of improving health in the county through the continuing fight against drug abuse, one of the other results of the movement has been the wide-spread interest of the rest of the nation in how a small, rural community can fashion and mobilize swift, effective community action.

People from everywhere wanted to know how Scioto was able to effect such positive change. College professors who teach sociology classes were inquiring about strategies used by the Action Team. Television hosts were curious about how progress was being accomplished. Other community organizations from all over the United States were constantly communicating with the Scioto Action Team about how to start similar programs. The Action Team worked through all of the following:

* Media -- local, State, and National -- reported on major group activities that encouraged involvement and action.

* SOLACE support group chapters were started all over Ohio to provide support to individuals and families affected by addiction.

* Facebook groups that networked with Fix the Scioto County Problem of Drug Abuse group were established.

* Close connections and work with lawmakers and officials such as county commissioners, city council members, local judges, prosecuting attorneys, State Representatives, State Senators, Ohio Senators, the Pharmacy Board, the Medical Board, the Attorney General, the Governor of Ohio, and the National Drug Czar were initiated.

* Interaction and leadership from local churches and Christian organizations such as the Salvation Army and the Apostolic Coalition were employed.

* Drug education and research by organizations such as The Counseling Center, the Portsmouth Health Department, the Needle Exchange Program, and SOLACE was offered to local schools and community groups.

* Higher education resources and representatives from the University of Cincinnati, the Ohio State University, and Shawnee State University were employed.

* Grants were obtained and help was provided by the Appalachian Regional Commission.

* Drug counselors, rehab professionals, and renowned journalists were summoned.

* Local high school Youth Ambassadors were chosen and trained as educational and motivational resources.

* Connections with police departments, sheriff departments, and the Ohio State Patrol were strengthened and encouraged.

* Cooperation and programming with neighboring states such as Kentucky and West Virginia was established.

The list goes on and on. And, even though this amazing Pill Mill Free Day has come, the Action Team understands that their commitment has become permanent -- as it must be to provide continued effective improvement. This is a day the Action Team has been working toward for a long time. Today, the team celebrates the end of Scioto pill mills.

This means one of its greatest enemies has been defeated, probably the most egregious and wicked one. More stand in the way of a healthy Scioto County, but the team now understands that the dedicated, concentrated work of a few can effect major changes that do benefit, and will continue to benefit, the health of untold numbers.

God bless our Scioto angels who have left this county to direct our work from heaven above. Thank you for guiding us to this beautiful day. And God bless anyone struggling with addiction -- this includes the yet to be born. Let the light shine ever brighter, Father. Let's get back to work, Action Team.

“Just 'cause you got the monkey off your back 

doesn’t mean the circus has left town.”  

— George Carlin

You Probably Need Your Ass Whipped

I will probably get into trouble by writing my opinion today. For once, I can't find any logical research to back up my beliefs, but today, I'm writing from the gut. So, here goes. Feel free to criticize.

As a young man, I played junior high and high school football. I will always remember my first experience with the game. The initial recollections I have of the sport cannot be classified under "motivational" or even "pleasant." I can't help but think that many others have stories similar to mine. From grade to grade, football slowly became an "acquired taste" as I became bigger and more skilled at the sport. Yet my first year of participation could be filed under "hell." Let me tell you about it.

When I was in the 6th grade, I moved from a school without a football program to one with the sport , and I soon felt both the desire and the pressure to join the team. Even then, I already admired many aspects of the game -- the colorful uniforms; the skills such as passing, kicking, and catching the ball; the roughhouse attitude.

Even though I thought about playing on the sixth grade team, I didn't. I was content to play recess football while getting adjusted to my new school and new friends. That year I took a lot of jeering from my classmates about not playing the game -- you know, the old "you big pussy" ridicule.

So, my 7th grade year, I decided to give football a try. I was a pretty decent athlete then, already involved in organized baseball and basketball, so I figured football would suit me just fine. Besides, since I enjoyed other sports, I needed something to keep me in shape during the fall, and "ball" of any kind was in my blood.

Filled with enthusiasm and curiosity, I went out for the 7th-8th grade team. The first couple of weeks was just conditioning, mainly running, exercising, and reinforcing basic skills. These days were exhausting but no big sweat. I was doing well, keeping up, and benefiting from the workouts.But soon, we woke up to the day of our first full-contact practice.

I was pretty nervous at school that day, but an uneventful day of classes progressed and soon closing announcements sounded from the P.A. Contact football time had arrived.

In the locker room, I struggled while putting on my uniform -- to be quite honest, I had no idea how to position all the necessary apparatus and tighten the numerous straps and laces. Naturally, I watched others and learned to dress by imitation, enclosing myself in a cocoon of pads and protective gear. The loosey-goosey helmet, the weighty shoulder pads, the ever-moving thigh and knee pads, the restrictive hip pads, the gagging mouthpiece -- after getting completely suited up, I had no idea how anyone was supposed to play football while wearing all this stuff.

As we stepped outside to the practice field, I clattered and puffed with every move while constantly readjusting pieces of my "armor" and futilely trying to find a good way to see between the bars of my face mask. I felt the straps of my shoulder pads digging into my flesh, which was immediately baking from the heat of the August sun.

Then, the coach appeared and blew his whistle to signal the start of practice. We began by running a couple of laps around the field and exercising. All I could do was struggle to breathe and try to keep my equipment in some kind of workable rhythm as I jogged and fumbled through calisthenics and drills. I thought, "Why in the hell do people want to play a game that requires wearing a uniform that feels like a sweat lodge?" I knew then this sport was definitely not like baseball or basketball.

Soon, the coach barked out, "Time to hit!" He gave us some brief instructions about tackling and blocking, probably knowing all along that novice players like me would not be able to do either since we could hardly stand up in our pads. And after that, we began the task of beating on each other -- seeing who could absorb the most punishment and "deliver devastating blows."

Having no conception of how to use my muscles and leverage to block or how to execute a safe, successful head-on tackling maneuver, we new guys proceeded to "chicken fight" and arm tackle and take "shots" from the others, generally providing clownish entertainment for all the veteran players. We soon become the "girlies" and "'fraidy cats" of the team and were demoted to human tacking and blocking dummies.

Being practice cannon fodder for the experienced 8th and 7th graders, I soon found out what it meant to have my "bell rung," to receive "stingers," to get caught beneath the many cleats of a sweep, to play "smash mouth," to get blindsided, to square off in "bull in the ring," and to fracture my nose. I began, after dozens of failed attempts to realize the advantage of "staying low" and "keeping my neck bowed." But, even with all the pads, the contact hurt like hell. Of course, we were told these kamikaze body sacrifices would "make men out of us."

After what seemed like an eternity of mutilation, the coach lined us up for endless wind sprints, which seemed to be designed to have everyone puking up colorful chunks of their school lunches. I had never been so thirsty in my life, and the coach had already told us "no water until after practice." In fact, in those days (the early '60s) we were encouraged to take salt pills before practice. Go figure? I had visions of St. Peter and the Pearly Gates before finishing the sprints. And, of course, after practice ended, the "newbies" had to carry all the practice equipment back inside.

Hobbling, drowning in sweat, and hurting all over, I slowly made my way back to the locker room after the ordeal. The coach paused and began the speech I remember to this day. He said, "Now many of you found out today you don't want to play this game. This game isn't for sissies. So, those of you pussies who want to quit, just turn in your equipment to me now. I'll be in the coaches' office. Today was an easy practice, and tomorrow will be much harder. So, you quitters, get out now. I will see you men tomorrow." With that, he turned his back on us and left the locker room.

I remember that none of the new guys looked up. We all just got dressed in silence. I really don't know who quit that day. I didn't want to know, and I didn't care, but I did know I wanted to quit. I wanted to quit so badly that I nearly ran to the coaches' office. I thought, "This shit is stupid. I'm going to take a beating from my own team the whole season."

I was on the verge of turning in my pads, but instead, for some reason that I still don't understand, I sneaked out the door and into my mother's waiting car. She inquired about practice, and I didn't mention anything about wanting to quit or about the torture I had faced.

I didn't have any fun playing football that year (at least as far as I can remember). The team was mediocre, and I got to play some because I could catch any football that was thrown remotely close to me, yet I came close to quitting many times in the 7th grade. I convinced myself I was involved in some insane initiation and the hazing seemed to lesson as the season progressed. 

I always prayed for a deluge during school days so that practice would be cancelled. Those days the temperature was not a factor in modifying equipment for health concerns or calling off practice. On the field I made some improvement, but I usually took a pretty good beating since we new guys were so awkward and unskilled. We were expected to improve by rough experience (more bruises and cuts) and by "getting tougher" and "shaking it off." By the way, the "no water" policy continued and we smuggled lemons in our pants to suck during practice - don't ask me why we sucked lemons to relieve thirst. The veteran players did it so we other idiots followed their lead.

What's the point of this story? I did learn to love the game, and I became a pretty good offensive and defensive end. By my senior year I made First Team All-Conference, and I set a couple of school records for receiving. I never played with a tighter, more brotherly bunch than my high school football team. I did learn football skills, and I became pretty proficient at performing them. In addition, I did learn a certain affinity to violence and causing some pain. (For example, we were always told to hit our opponent with all of our might on the first play to see if he would soften up and quit. And, we were frequently instructed to knock our opponent out of the game. Of course, all of this we performed within the rules of fair play.)

But, perhaps the biggest lesson I learned by playing football was that "someone is always tougher than you and you are going to take an occasional ass whipping." These personal ass whippings took a toll on my body but they also instilled a great lesson in my mind. The statement reverberated each time the player over me delivered a blow that reinforced the truth of the warning. Even when we won, the guy over me occasionally pounded my ass. Sometimes, the ass whipping lasted the entire game, and after the contest, not only the bruises to my body but also the bruises to my ego hurt for weeks. I became a true believer -- someone can always humble you, often when you least expect to be humbled.

I believe I learned to be less boastful, more respectful of others, and more appreciative of my own ability to endure hardships by getting those "occasional ass whippings." In fact, that physically violent side of the game offered no logical retreat. I had to take my punishment in front of my entire community or be carried off the field due to injury. An embarrassing ass whipping did also act as my incentive to be better prepared, stronger, and becoming more worthy of facing high competition.

Many people would probably disagree and say that the sport of football shouldn't entail the actions of people intent on delivering a deliberate ass whipping, but ask football players about that. They will readily admit they have tried to do it to an opponent. And when it came their turn to bow and be bloodied by their opponent on the playing field, the physical abuse they took, the humiliation they endured, and the lasting effects of "knocking them down a peg" brought important character into their lives. Only then, they found out, too, that they were not the "cock of the walk." Mere bravado is useless in the face of concentrated skill and overwhelming power.

Why Everyone Should Have an Ass Whipping

In this entry I want to extol the virtue of receiving an occasional ass whipping (in the correct context) -- the action may be physical, as was my experience with football, or it may be mental, as is inherent in any righteous success that puts a person's ignorant opinion in line - an attitude adjustment. We learn from these body and mind bruising sessions. They are not pretty, and, granted, they may be very dangerous and hurtful, but, at times, they may be warranted. I am an advocate of weapon-free, physical violence only when participants are competing in a controlled environment or when it is absolutely necessary for the sake of defense.

I am not in favor of solving problems with ass whippings. Far from it -- I believe problems are solved with love and understanding. All I am saying is that most people benefit from a well-timed, properly administered ass whipping at some time in their lives. These times often happen when they needlessly put themselves in potentially violent situations and "ask for it" or when they have proper supervision and adequate protection when playing a contact sport.

With the present society so intent on worshiping power and violence as elements of fame and success, each individual needs to understand (first hand, up close and personal) the reality of receiving pain and humiliation.  There is no glory or fame in violence or fighting, and individuals who have experienced the losing end of such confrontations surely know this.

Blowhards, tyrants and hoodlums seldom "walk the walk" and, instead, prefer to emulate violent actions and symbols. They risk only what they know they can lose and revel in bloodying others but avoiding all potentially harmful contact. And, if you notice, they prefer the protection of groups for overwhelming odds.

True warriors, veterans of combat in war, seldom even discuss their service. They have experienced the horror of killing and all its bloody components. All of those who return understand the meaning of getting their asses whipped, and few believe themselves to be "John Waynes" or heroes. They will tell you that the dead are the heroes, those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. These people know the lessons of defeat on a personal,  unparalleled level.

I have heard people say that ass whippings (And, no, I'm not extolling any benefits of corporal punishment on children or gang fights here.) merely scar a person and negatively affect self image. I disagree to this extent-- until most cocky, bullying individuals experience a defeat by someone, they continue to build their image of toughness through intimidation and senseless violence. They often think others are their pawns.

A bully or an unconquered brash person always relishes a fight with someone physically smaller or someone he perceives is inferior to him and to his bloated self image. A bully thrives on making threats and causing pain to the defenseless. That is, until he encounters someone who is a worthy opponent and who politely delivers him his well-deserved ass kicking.

Take it easy - I said these adjustments may be administered mentally or physically. In addition, I understand the principle that "violence breeds more violence." But, sometimes, in the case of people who build a hideous reputation while preying on others, a decent ass kicking from an opponent will actually save them from worse outcomes -- more serious physical harm, imprisonment, substance abuse problems, social rejection, and even death. 

I know the research says bullies derive a sense of self-worth from their anti-social activities and it suggests that this may be reinforced by others. And, I know, the research indicates bullies tend to come from homes where aggressive strategies to conflict resolution are modeled. So, when I say an ass whipping can be beneficial, I'm not talking about a parent administering a beating on his/her child. This is clearly child abuse, a  horrible, harmful, criminal act.

In conclusion, I can say that I'm glad that football humbled me. Without facing competition and some opponents that completely overwhelmed me, whipped my ass, I think I'd be a worse person today. And, perhaps, I would have experienced my share of getting my ass kicked in far more dangerous situations.

You will likely face at least one serious fight in your lifetime in defense of what you believe is right. If you accept the challenge and win that  fight, you are justified in your victory. If you lose the fight, you will learn the lesson that "someone is always tougher than you." That loss may prove to be a very important learning experience in your life. It may motivate you to become stronger or it just may make you reexamine the consequences of defeat.