August 8, 2004

QUIET INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT:

Stay calm everyone, there's Prozac in the drinking water (Mark Townsend, August 8, 2004, The Observer)

It should make us happy, but environmentalists are deeply alarmed: Prozac, the anti-depression drug, is being taken in such large quantities that it can now be found in Britain's drinking water.

Environmentalists are calling for an urgent investigation into the revelations, describing the build-up of the antidepressant as 'hidden mass medication'. The Environment Agency has revealed that Prozac is building up both in river systems and groundwater used for drinking supplies.


Easing the pain of the dying patient.

Posted by Orrin Judd at August 8, 2004 7:17 AM
Comments

Perhaps, but I wouldn't be overly worried, as the Prozac is probably ofset by all the Viagra.

Bottoms up!

Posted by: Barry Meislin at August 8, 2004 10:05 AM

Drink American wine and Coors beer.

Posted by: Genecis at August 8, 2004 11:46 AM

The article never mentions the actual concentration. Probably in the parts per billion or parts per trillion, and thus not too worrisome.

Posted by: PapayaSF at August 8, 2004 2:25 PM

PapayaSF:

Exactly, not worrisome to humans, anyway.
Small animals such as frogs may be affected, we're not yet sure.

The US has the same problem with traces of pharmaceuticals in the water supply, and it is a problem, just not a crisis.

Posted by: Michael Herdegen at August 8, 2004 3:26 PM

You mean the frogs won't be jumpy?

Posted by: Harry Eagar at August 8, 2004 4:25 PM

Ouch.

Posted by: Michael Herdegen at August 8, 2004 6:07 PM

After all, there's the attitude that life or death doesn't matter, as long as it's "painless".

Like if you kill someone "painlessly", then they're not really dead.

Posted by: at August 9, 2004 7:19 PM
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