Developing Horizons Magazine (2).pdf Spring 2015 | Page 8

Better Living through Chemistry? Part II
By R. Burt Prater, M.D.

In the last edition of Developing Horizons, we

explored the role of chemicals in the enhancement of
our quality of life and the cost represented by ruined
lives from dependency and addiction. We noted the
radical increase of “life-stresses” over the past few decades and the trend to relieve this stress by an increasing substitution of faith in chemistry (drugs) for faith
in a higher power. The pace along this path has been
substantially accelerated by easy legal drug availability
from medical professionals and illegally on the street.
Without question, alcohol is the most commonly used
addictive substance in the US with 17.5 million people
or one in every 12 adults suffering from abuse (risky
drinking patterns) and or dependency.
A person’s choice to use alcohol or drugs is usually initially influenced by their peers, family and or
availability. More than half of all adults have a family
history of alcoholism or problem drinking and more
than seven million children live in a household where
at least one parent is dependent on or has abused alcohol. One in five preteens will have experimented with
alcohol and or drugs before high school. Most will
have an unpleasant experience and they will occasionally give in to peer pressure again but w