Free Modafinil!

As if I wasn't already convinced that pharmaceutical marketing was way, way out of hand. Browsing some online news source yesterday, I came upon a banner ad that linked me to this ad for a seven-day free trial of Modafinil. Filling out the form will get you a coupon for seven days free supply—if you can get a prescription from your doctor. But never fear, it also comes with an information packet on that deadly disease (which is of course an ABSOLUTELY REAL DISEASE like cancer or smallpox, and not something the pharmaceutical company made up to justify selling a controlled substance to everyone) "excessive sleepiness", and best of all, a "Guide for talking to your doctor", which presumably is like one of those books about how to fast-talk your way out of a speeding ticket. So no doubt anyone who wants it now can get himself a shiny new Rx and "the first hit is free, then you're hooked". OK, OK, just joking about getting hooked, but still, that's obviously what they're hoping for, isn't it?

Frankly, I don't care that much if big pharma wants to peddle dope to everyone; neither do I mind that much if politicians want to score masturbatory brownie points railing against the horror of people—children, even—using mild prescription stimulants to do well in school of all things! However, I cannot help but think that a society in which BOTH of those things are extremely common is a very, very confused society indeed.

Also, I think the ad is supposed to use the clouds of smoke around the judge as a symbol of his excessive sleepiness, but my first reaction is "maybe he should stop smoking reefer in court if he's excessively sleepy at work"...

It's interesting, though, I am sure they chose the image of a judge to maximize the (false) sense that they're really a legitimate, non-sketchy business, rather than blatant drug pushers...