Deadly Prescriptions: Crime Inc.—The Underground Economy

Deadly Prescriptions: Crime Inc.—The Underground Economy

Introduction

The following paper is based on a video report posted by CNBC on the illegal prescription of drugs. In the introductory phase, the author mentioned that in United States the retail prescription of drug sales crossed almost $300 billion in 2010 only, and therefore, criminal minds are adopting every way to capture this huge market share. The CNBC program is basically to create awareness among the Americans that illegal enterprises spending pain and suffering at the same time in addition with addiction to these drugs. The program also highlighted that drug dealers started bribing the medical professionals, and the new online selling of drugs added a new life to this illegal business.

Discussion

Prohibited tastes best

Illegal drug distribution via the Internet focuses on four groups of pharmaceuticals: medicines registered in United States prescription to which persons who are under treatment, in which the drug is used, have limited access; medications withheld or withdrawn from the market of counterfeit drugs, including which can be found in both prescription as well as OTC and dietary supplements, as well as illegally imported drugs from abroad (Buddy, 2013).

The most effective channel of distribution of illegal drugs is forums and shopping portals. No problem, you can get them pharmaceuticals, and the buyer can be sure that no one will ask him uncomfortable questions. Sellers declare discretion and total security purchases. 

Willingness

The so-called "Statistical Smith" is usually not versed in the laws that regulate the drug trade in United States. On the Internet you can often find a notice of sale of prescription drugs, which remain after one's treatment. Human consciousness lies in the belief that it would be better to pass these agents to other people, rather than return them to a pharmacy for disposal. So much is said about the pollution of the environment and the high cost of medical treatment that "good deed" in the form of a transfer of drugs to the needy, it seems only natural. Few people, however, comes to mind, that such action is illegal, that a person who reports to the drug, usually did not receive a doctor's recommendation was adopted. The patient who decides to buy this drug, unaware of the risks, even the declaration by the seller that the drug is a remnant of the finite therapy, may have nothing to do with reality, however, is an excellent bait for gullible and looking for help in the wrong places (Osterwell, 2013). Information on the seller ended the therapy and no longer need the drug, suggesting that the drug was purchased by him on the basis of a medical prescription from a pharmacy, so that it is not fake. Meanwhile, according to the United States Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, nearly 62 percent prescription drugs, which are the subject of illegal online distribution, the fakes.

Counterfeiting of Drugs

According to the CNBC program and “International Journal of Clinical Practice," in one of the issues of the journal devoted to the counterfeiting of drugs clearly states that buying pharmaceuticals on the Internet ...