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INDIANAPOLIS – In accordance with an order by the President of the United States, Governor Eric J. Holcomb is directing flags statewide to be flown at half-staff to honor the victims of the senseless and horrific attack in Las Vegas. Flags should be flown at half-staff until sunset on October 6, 2017.
Gov. Holcomb also asks businesses and residents statewide to lower their flags to half-staff until October 6, 2017 in the wake of this tragedy.
It’s WAY past time to start the conversation about psych meds. The shooter in Las Vegas was prescribed Benzodiazepines. This class of drugs has a VERY controversial history, for good reason. Known ‘side-effects’/adverse reactions include increased hostility, aggression, acting on dangerous impulses, extreme dis-inhibition…. unusual changes in behavior. The opioid epidemic, the benzodiazepine medical disaster, these are all tied together in the toxic stew of negligent and over- prescribing of legal drugs.
There are currently 30,000 patients, personally harmed by benzos, discussing this on social media support sites. TODAY. NOW. They have been desperately trying to get physicians and lawmakers to listen and pay attention for many years to no avail. I personally went to Congresswoman Susan Brook’s Carmel office trying to bring awareness to the issue. A simple online search will bring up thousands upon thousands of articles warning of extreme reactions to these drugs, especially if STOPPED SUDDENLY. Pharmaceutical companies themselves list these possible outcomes on the medical literature handed out with the prescriptions. This is not speculation; that huge list of adverse reactions are things that have ALREADY happened. I am not saying these meds don’t help some people. International prescribing guidelines specifically state short-term use of no more than six weeks because they haven’t been studied for longer time periods. Doctors and the FDA are well aware of the 40 plus years of reports of horrifying events associated with these drugs and continue to prescribe them long-term anyway, often without warnings to the patient. A very common assumption is that these people had a mental health issue to start with, when the drug itself is the cause. These are prescribed for conditions such as muscle spasms, trouble sleeping, mild anxiety and stress. Do the research, and actually do something to solve the problem. Now. Today.