Social Issue "Too Many Pills"
Brody Hackbarth
Research Questions
- What is currently the most common type of prescription medication in the U.S.? Vicodin is the most common.
- What kind of change has the pill industry taken in the past few years? There has been a dramatic increase in prescription drugs in the past few years.
- What crimes have been linked to the side effects of medications? Between 2004-2011 there has been over 11,000 cases reported to the FDA about medications side effects related to violence. 31 school shootings related as well.
- How many deaths have occurred because of prescription medications? 162 wounded and 72 killed in the school shootings, 100,000 Americans die every year because of prescription medications.
- What are the side effects of most medications? dizziness, nausea, skin irritation, allergic reactions, and heart problems.
- Whats worse prescription or nonprescription medications? Prescription painkillers are the worst.
- Where do our drugs come from? 43% are made in china, 39% in India 5% in miscellaneous countries, 13% in the U.S.
- Whats the harm if they expire? No harm, nothing happens they just don't do what they are supposed to.
- Do medications effect different age groups differently? The older you are the greater the chance for side effects.
- What are the restrictions on what doctors can prescribe to their patients? Depends on the state some states are more strict than others.
Plot Chart
Characters
- Main - Kelly Spittler (Dynamic)
- Main - Ted Klinge (Dynamic)
- Minor - Joe Spittler (Static)
Theme
- Too many pills
- We have a pill for everything
Exposition
- Kelly is a young lawyer just starting her new career.
- Detroit, Michigan 2004
Rising Action
- Goes good at first, but she starts to fall behind on her work.
- Her stressful new career is making her lose sleep.
- She sees Dr. Klinge about this and he prescribes too many sleeping pills.
Climax
- Kelly goes into comatose because of the over prescribed medications.
Falling Action
- Wakes up from the coma
- Fights to get restrictions on prescriptions
- Gets support from a bunch of people
Resolution
- Gets her way and a law is made so that there are restrictions on prescriptions.
Synopsis
It is 2004, Detroit Michigan, and a young new lawyer named Kelly Spittler is starting her career. Things are going pretty good for Kelly, shes making lots of money, shes got a few clients, and life is swell. But things are starting to catch up to her and she is falling behind at work. She is finding it hard to keep up with deadlines, the hours are long, and this demanding new career path she has chosen is getting her very stressed. So stressed that she is having trouble getting sleep at night. She sees a doctor about this issue and he prescribes sleeping pills, but the prescription turns out to be to much and she overdoses and goes int a coma. Will she ever wake up from the coma? Will there ever be more strict restrictions on what doctors can prescribe?
Works Cited
- Forbes. Forbes Magazine, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
- "Prescription Drug Abuse." The White House. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
- "Citizens Commission on Human Rights International | Mental Health Watchdog." CCHR International RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
- "Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs Chart." National Institute on Drug Abuse. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
- "New Prescription Drug Law Holds Promise, but Concerns Linger." InvestigateWest. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.