I am guilty of forgetting to count calories when I go to my favorite restaurants. I pack on a few pounds every winter because I stop exercising. My body no longer looks the way it did when I was in high school. I probably don't take the best care of myself all the time. According to my doctor I am slightly overweight, but I am too busy (read lazy) to deal with that as my career and family have taken priority. I am like most Americans in that sense. Sure, it would be really easy to take some pills and have all the extra fat melt off my body leaving me at my optimal weight. I would probably take these pills despite dealing with some pretty gross side effects. These magic pills might even make it so that no American is overweight or obese. The problem with a pill like this is that it promotes unhealthy weight loss. Pills that are purported to be a quick fix or magic potion often hurt people in unintended ways or fall short of their performance expectations. These products' failures leave people that are already vulnerable because of their weight even more vulnerable.

All too often in the rush to find a quick fix, Americans opt to take a pill in an effort to magically have the fat melt away. Without knowing the chemicals that they are putting in their body, people have no idea what risks to which they are really exposed. People take weight loss drugs assuming that they have been properly tested and will not harm them. The sad part is that sometimes these drugs are harmful. There have been a number of instances of weight loss drugs being pulled off the market because of safety risks and all sorts of dangerous and fatal issues - everything from Fen-Phen to Hydroxy Cut to Alli all have dangerous side effects that can cost people their health and in some cases their life.

Most doctors tell their patients that there is no magic pill that will cause you to lose the weight, you have to change your habits and exercise. Every piece of advice on weight loss given comes with the disclaimer to consult your physician first. In some extreme cases medical intervention is necessary, but the first option is rarely to add a synthetic pill that will disrupt your body's equilibrium. If you suffered as a result of taking a weight loss supplement, it is important to contact your physician and begin working on your recovery. It is also important to contact aninjury attorney to make sure you are compensated.

This post was written by Maryland accident lawyer, Rabihah Scott. Price Benowitz LLP is a Washington DC based law firm that handles criminal, DUI, personal injury, and immigration cases. Price Benowitz LLP has additional offices in Maryland, Virginia, and New York. Rabihah Scott has a Google+ profile if you'd like more information about her.

I think at some point I will either have to shut my brain off or stop watching TV commercials. I happened to be at my grandmother's house and we were watching some random show and a Celebrex commercial aired. My dear grandmother began to explain that she was so upset that they took Celebrex off the market and that it was the only thing that ever really worked for her pain management. I was floored that anyone, especially those in high risk groups, would be saddened by the removal of Celebrex from the market.

I spent some time after I left thinking about what people would do and risk in order to be out of pain. I know that being in pain is not a fun experience. I also know that chronic pain impacts people emotionally and physically. Knowing what I know about the injuries that have been causally linked to various drugs, I would rather be in pain than to take them.

At some point during my conversation with my grandmother, she went as far as to say that maybe the drug worked too well and they took it off the market so people would be willing to pay more for it when it came back. I was floored. The statement was not at all absurd. It seemed to be a great marketing ploy. The makers of a bad product could remove the product from sight to give people a chance to forget about the heart attacks, strokes, and deaths that it caused. After a few years without effective medication, people will pay anything and risk anything to take this drug and rid their bodies of the pain they regularly feel.

I am glad I am not in pain. I am also glad that I am very cautious of the medications I allow myself to take. I worry about the people who are not as careful. If you or your family member is injured by any drug, please contact an injury attorney to discuss the compensation that you might be entitled to.

Rabihah Scott is a Maryland personal injury lawyer with Price Benowitz LLP. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the law firm as additional offices in New York, Maryland, and Virginia. The attorneys at Price Benowitz LLP handle criminal, DUI, personal injury, and immigration cases. For more information about Rabihah Scott visit her Google+ profile.

This blog post was written by Rabihah Scott. Ms. Scott is a

I was watching TV last night and I saw a commercial for BeYaz, the "new" birth control. It is all about having the freedom to choose what type of birth control you use. The commercial is surprisingly effective, but two things really stood out to me: 1- this is the third version (names, drug compositions, etc) of this drug on the market ; and 2- there sure seems to be a lot of low fast talking endnote disclaimers. Sadly this commercial made me do the one thing I really didn't fell like doing with my Wednesday evening at 9pm, THINK.