Need some help with what to do
 

Want to get thoughts on this:

Heard this story from my friend at another school. One of there pledges was prescribed a form of xanax and had just got a full bottle of the pills. The pledge didn't like how they felt on them so decided they were not going to have them again. After talks with the pledge class the pledge decided to take the pills again as they were needed.

One of the active members of the organization decided they wanted the pills for their own consumption and forced the pledge to give the pills up. After two weeks of having the pledge and other actives call the other active for the pills back, the pledge received the bottle of pills back with just one tablet left. The pledge does not take the pill in question though as it is later found out that the active put a non xanax pill in the bottle.

The question I have for you is what does the organization do about this. My friend told me their has been a small suspension placed on the active in question but was wondering if an expulsion from the organization was more necessary. I personally believe an expulsion is needed.

Lets help my friend out!

When it come to fraternity matter, let the standard board handle it. What ever they decided to do, that is that.

hope your standards board takes the right course of action. :rolleyes:

As dreamseeker and moe.ron said, let THEIR standards board handle it. This is an unfortunate situation, but it's none of your business to try to get involved.

the particular organization does not have a standards board...and i am not getting involved i am just putting it out there to see how people personally feel about this more then a how do you think they should proceed.

The pledge is a dumbass in the first place for being so open about taking Xanax. That kind of stuff is no one's business. I can't for the life of me understand why he had "talks with" the pledge class concerning it.

If the active is such a loser he doesn't have a connection of his own, and has to strongarm a pledge to get his drugs. he should be expelled for being a lame-o.

Assholery all around.

Your chapter needs to have a standing committee, preferably not including the President which handles these sorts of matters internally and discretely.

And everything 33 said.

If you're not getting involved and just want to get people's thoughts, then why did you say you "Need some help with what to do" and say "Let's help my friend out"? We can't help your friend out without getting involved.

I agree with everyone else. Unless this is really your chapter, it's none of your business.

1. You "heard this from a friend at another school" yet you "need some help with what to do". Is your "friend" the person with the prescription? The active brother? Or someone else?

2. If someone is JUST prescribed a drug like that, they usually don't get a "full bottle" - for many reasons - abuse, overdose, possibility of selling them.

3. Discussing taking psychiatric drugs with one's pledge class and following their suggestions, versus their therapist/pyschiatrist? Yikes. For a college student, your "friend" is pretty stupid.

4. How did the active "force" the pledge to "give them up" to him? Did he threaten bodily harm? Haze him? Threaten to dump him from the fraternity?

5. If the pledge had decided he didn't want to take them anymore, why would it be an issue if the bottle was returned with one pill and that he didn't take it?

6. Lastly, if the story is "just" something that a friend at another school told you, why do you care? What do you need help doing?

Your story is written on a slice of swiss cheese. Holes everywhere and smells funny.

I agree with everything that you said, except for this line. It depends on the doctor and the condition for which the medication was prescribed. For instance, because of a heart disorder I have, I am heavily prone to trigger-less, sudden panic attacks. My doctor, knowing this, tried me on several things before placing me on a prescription for a strong anxiety medicine - my prescription was a month's supply, 30 pills.

That said, it is rare. My doctor knew about my condition ahead of time, so we had a strong doctor-patient relationship.


Also, a manager found out I was on this particular drug and tried to get me to sell them because they could net $20 a pill. Um, no? So if a manager couldn't get me to sell my pills even after I learned to control my anxiety, I'm not sure how this pledge was forced.

and that's why i said

ps i like that swiss cheese analogy :D

This is true. I work part-time as a pharmacy technician, and I can tell you that the dosage can vary greatly, depending on the condition that is being treated, and the medical history of the patient.

Generally though, the dosage starts off very low, and it is increased slowly if necessary. However, many prescriptions call for the medication to be taken 2-3 times daily. Therefore, even a week's supply would provide the patient with quite a few pills.

After my dad had a hip replacement, the doctor gave him Oxycontin for pain. He took maybe 1 pill. This was before Oxy really "blossomed" around where he lived (i.e. people taking heroin because they couldn't get Oxy). One night there was a special on local TV about the Oxy problem and he freaked out and flushed the whole bottle down the toilet. I was like "damn, dude, I could have gone down to Kernville with those and made beaucoup bucks." ;)

That's why I said "usually". :rolleyes:

I have a family member who uses that type of medication. Doses usually start low, and the patient is given enough for perhaps a few days to maybe 2 weeks max, and is re-evaluated. Keeping a tight rein not only helps prevent the issues I mentioned above, but to also "force" someone taking meds to see the therapist/psychiatrist for ongoing assessment. (Yes I know way too much about this stuff!)

I took the phrase "full bottle" to be literally, a full bottle. Even 30 small pills doesn't come near a "full bottle".

True - my reading comprehension was low that day, even though I actually quoted you. When I think about a full bottle, I think a month's supply, one a day.

(And apparently my computer skills are low today, too, as I just submitted this without finishing it.) I agree with the other people though: this sounds less like a "friend's" problem and more of an OP's problem.