I chose Athens because in many ways their lives resemble ours:  low labor requirements (they had slaves, we have machines) good living conditions, etc... but yes pharmaceuticals are not the only difference.

I only wanted to put forth the argument, labelled as such, not to claim it is my bible. 

 essentially drugs can be useful short-term but never long term - i had that position since i was a teenager.

drugs are like a credit card - it can be useful - but it isn't a source of income. 

 using one drug for side effects of another is exactly the same mentality as opening a new credit card to pay off the old one.  once you're on that train you're going to hell.