Your mind on drugs

Mom tends to watch TV at night. The main thing she watches is FixerUpper about a husband and wife who do makeovers of outdated houses. The wife is very telegenic and very talented--I would love to have her visualisation skills. The husband is funny and dotes on his wife, which we women eat up of course.

The thing that strikes me about American TV is the commercials. So many commercials for drugs! For every kind of ailment. We escape this in the UK, where doctors are sensibly trained under the national health system and are not receptive to patients “asking your doctor” about Triskadin or Virasol (made up words). I find the list of side effects amusing. A litany of painful deaths--it’s hard to understand how people fall for these ads.

I also notice that airports are full of massive advertisements for hospitals and health clinics. What’s that all about? Do a lot of people with cancer and orthopaedic needs shop for medical destinations while they travel? I thought airports had ads for Caribbean getaways?

And while we’re on the topic of drugs, I’ll note a sign I saw on a trash receptacle in the women’s bathroom in Dulles airport: “To protect our employees, please do not put syringes in the garbage.”
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