We live in a violent society. Over 4 million individuals in the United States are victims of violence each year. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics report 8.7 premature deaths due to homicide per 100,000 people in the United States in 1985, making homicide, the second leading cause of injury or death among children. Furthermore, homicide is the leading cause of death among black males ages 15 through 24, and the third leading cause, after motor vehicle injury and suicide, among white males 15 to 24 years of age. Nonfatal violence is even more widespread. In 1985, some 113 violent interactions occurred for every 1000 married couples, and 620 violent interactions occurred for every 1000 children and their parents.
Despite the fact that violence is so common in the population as a whole, violent events have rarely been reported in association with Prozac. Once in a while, a patient on Prozac has been hauled into court for some harmful act. Nonetheless, in every one of those instances, Prozac has been exonerated of responsibility. Not a single one of the criminals who have come to court armed with the so-called Prozac defense has succeeded in convincing a judge or jury that the crime was committed because the defendant was on Prozac. In all of the cases, the criminal has been convicted and the medication acquitted: a 100% victory for the pharmaceutical company.
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