Medication vs Drugs
Differentiating medication and drugs is something that at first look seems harmless and rather helpful however I think there is a much more sinister result that many countries are suffering from currently and have been suffering from for a long time now.
In actuality there is no difference in a drug and medication as all medications are drugs however a massive stigma has been built by drug companies, the media and doctors that medications are good and help people whereas drugs harm people. Drugs is considered a bad word, if someone is a drug addict then there is a massive negative connotation attached to them and they are seen as lower members of society. However if someone becomes addicted to prescription medication then we feel sorry for them and try to help them and it isn't their own fault, when in reality there is no difference.
Health implications:
People see medication as helpful so they think there is nothing wrong with taking it regularly which makes it very dangerous as many medications are the same compounds as street drugs or at least very similar. As they are so similar they have the same effect on the body and in the brain which can be detrimental to the development of the brain and body in younger patients, as well as the possibility of many adverse effects in people of all ages.
All of this leads to people being taught to not take drugs but freely take medication, doctors will give people of all ages medication and will even tell parents that the best option for their children is to take medication. Medication has become such a big part of many cultures, if you have a headache you take a pill, heartburn take a pill, back pain take a pill and so on. People then get so used to taking medication regularly for any issues it can become easy to slip into an addiction.
It is also healthy for the body to fight of certain illnesses or ailments without medication to help strengthen the body in general but more specifically the immune system. Regularly taking medication means the immune system never has to fully do its job so it becomes less active and is less capable when it is needed.
My opinion:
I feel like at this point in time it would be hard to change the way look at drugs and medication and it would be difficult to stop using the word medication however not impossible. I feel that it is very important to properly educate people on the subject so they can fully understand that medications can have many negative effects, I also think people should be more educated before giving drugs to their children.
People do have the responsibility to educate themselves and the surrounding knowledge is relatively easy to find and understand as their are vast amounts of books and sites on the internet that can help, however I also think doctors and drug companies should have the responsibility to better educate the people they give these drugs to.