Don't worry, be happy.

[Colossus 2]

Quote[/b] ]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.

The government's chief environment watchdog recently held

a series of meetings with the pharmaceutical industry to

discuss any repercussions for human health or the

ecosystem.

The discovery raises fresh fears that GPs are overprescribing

Prozac, Britain's antidepressant of choice. In the decade up

to 2001, overall prescriptions of antidepressants rose from

nine million to 24 million a year.

A recent report by the Environment Agency concluded Prozac

could be potentially toxic in the water table and said the drug

was a 'potential concern'.

However, the precise quantity of Prozac in the nation's water

supplies remains unknown. The government's Drinking Water

Inspectorate (DWI) said Prozac was likely to be found in a

considerably 'watered down' form that was unlikely to pose a

health risk.

Dr Andy Croxford, the Environment's Agency's policy manager

for pesticides, told The Observer: 'We need to determine the

effects of this low-level, almost continuous discharge.'

Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat's environment

spokesman, said the revelations exposed a failing by the

government on an important public health issue. He added

that the public should be told if they were inadvertently

taking drugs like Prozac.

'This looks like a case of hidden mass medication upon the

unsuspecting public,' Baker said. 'It is alarming that there is

no monitoring of levels of Prozac and other pharmacy residues

in our drinking water.'

Experts say that Prozac finds its way into rivers and water

systems from treated sewage water. Some believe the drugs

could affect their reproductive ability.

European studies have also expressed disquiet over the

impact of pharmaceuticals building up in the environment,

warning that an effect on wildlife and human health 'cannot

be excluded'.

'It is extremely unlikely that there is a risk, as such drugs are

excreted in very low concentrations,' a DWI spokesman

said. 'Advanced treatment processes installed for pesticide

removal are effective in removing drug residues,' he added.

The Observer (UK)

[DarkLight 0]

Wow free drugs in your water! Britain here i come!

[Nathanz 0]

Damn, thats a good reason to drink more water

[Pathy 0]

I'd drink bottled water, only its really just tap water......

[Bordoy 0]

Nevermind, my water is Brita filtered, therefore getting rid of 99% of shit in water.

[Bordoy 0]

I'd drink bottled water, only its really just tap water......

Thats the coke version, try the french one (forgot what it called) Volvic i think

[Mister Frag 0]

On a similar note, in the United States a few years ago, the water in Boston's harbor contained significant amounts of caffeine from all the coffee that people were drinking. Scientists were worried about the impact that could have on the reproductive abilities of fish.

[red oct 2]

i'm glad i drink nothing but distilled water. in the US, Cities put chlorine in their water to keep it clean.

[AKK 0]

lets not forget that most US city water Departments put Floride in thier water aswell which Hitler used in large ammounts in the water to make the populace more docile (like salt peter that the US mil uses in Basic Training to subdue Labido)

[red oct 2]

i think its mainly used to keep teeth healthy. if it were used in such a manner, it certianly doesn't do a good job. visit the typical U.S. highschool and you'll see why

[hardrock 1]

Aah am I glad to live in Vienna where I can drink very natural and well-tasting water directly from the tap, it's coming straight from the mountains

Nothin filtered, nothing distilled, just nature pure

[Makivelli 0]

You people drink water?

[kerosene 0]

the flouride conspiracy is for nutters, sorry,

screw prozac, im more worried about the fish estrogen that the waters full of, it turns male fish into females and it could cause a drop in fertility for humans. Possibly man-breasts too.

[llauma 0]

the flouride conspiracy is for nutters, sorry,

screw prozac, im more worried about the fish estrogen that the waters full of, it turns male fish into females and it could cause a drop in fertility for humans.  Possibly man-breasts too.

Or even worse gills and fins, but at least the swimming world records would improve.

[SpeedyDonkey 0]

Quote[/b] ]Possibly man-breasts too.

I was under the impression that those were rather common in America today.

[Winters 1]

Aah am I glad to live in Vienna where I can drink very natural and well-tasting water directly from the tap, it's coming straight from the mountains  

Nothin filtered, nothing distilled, just nature pure

and what ad agency are you working for?

When i lived in NY you could drink the water from the tap, NY water is one of the cleanest in the country (it comes from the mountains not the city) but, if you live in a very old building than the pipes are prolly rusty and then you don't want to drink the water from the tap. Now that i live in Florida i won't drink the water because its calcium levels are to high. But i drink Guiness anyway so i guess it's a moot point

[Munk 0]

I thought I strangely happy lately, managed to do that smile thing yesterday

[hardrock 1]

Aah am I glad to live in Vienna where I can drink very natural and well-tasting water directly from the tap, it's coming straight from the mountains

Nothin filtered, nothing distilled, just nature pure

and what ad agency are you working for?

Oh I'm just trying to catch some customers for the case we ever start to sell it bottled abroad

[ralphwiggum 6]

i say this is a conspiracy by the Tony Blair gov't to reduce negativity surrounding his decision to goto war with Iraq. by having prozacs in water supply, it won't look as grim as it is.

[stgn 39]

i say this is a conspiracy by the Tony Blair gov't to reduce negativity surrounding his decision to goto war with Iraq. by having prozacs in water supply, it won't look as grim as it is.  

I thort that too its just sad you have to drug people to make them see whats right.

Always look on the bright side of life, you water is full of shit when you look at it, theres no time to drink and larf and play...

STGN

[macguba 0]

The thing about water is that fish fuck in it.

[gandalf the white 0]

(ALLWAY'S at the last post before mine it gets mentioned...)

Quote[/b] ]

Hollandse tapwater is safe to drink. This is quite remarkable considering that most drinking water comes from poluted rivers like the Rhine. Plans to improve the quality of the riverwater, so that fish like salmon will return to Hollandse rivers to spawn, can count on strong resistance from the Nederlanders. They don't like the idea of animals having sex in their drinking water.

[DarkLight 0]

It's funny because it's true!