2x2

There have been several presentations about various drugs and ethics that I've been thinking about for the past few days. For example, the presentation on steroid use along with the one of the more recent presentations on ADHD were two that I noticed some pretty close similarities on. Two of the most noticeable of them both being how easy and readily people can get these drugs, regardless of most, if not all, factors, and how many people have taken, or currently are taking these drugs. The ADHD medication is dosed by 'severity' of the supposed ADHD - mild, moderate, or severe - and how doctors claim to be able to diagnose the different severities, especially on young and naturally energetic kids, is beyond me. The steroid generation we are living in is almost so common now, it doesn't even surprise most people when they hear the 'breaking news' of one of their favorite athletes being busted for doping. Another thing I found interesting, is how easy and often the system seems to be beat when it comes to getting these drugs, or being tested for them. Many athletes who have tested positive for anabolic steroids seem to get off the hook with just a slap on the wrist and a "don't do it again" speech, and I have known several people who have never considered themselves as having ADHD, but found a way to test positive for it to get the prescription medication. One question I have about these scenarios, is do doctor's realize how easily the system can be played, and do they even care about stopping it? Or is the idea of how much money they can make with all of the prescriptions, or the bribes for getting athletes off the hook just too tempting to keep them from intervening? The black box of what really goes on in between the process of testing kids (or adults) for ADD/ADHD and determining whether they truly suffer from this "disease," and what happens in between the testings and the results of athletes who are almost always rumored to be doping, is a process I don't think I'll ever understand.