On June 9th, 2005 Eli Lilly and Company announced that it has entered an agreement with plaintiffs’ attorneys involved in Zyprexa liability litigation to settle most of claims against company relating to their Zyprexa medication.

"While we believe claims are without merit, we took this difficult step because we believe it is in best interest of company, patients who depend on this medication, and their doctors," said Sidney Taurel, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Eli Lilly and Company.

Over past 15 years, we have watched illicit drug use and abuse destroy communities all over world. We have watch parents sit by helplessly as they lose their children to drugs. We have watched lives of youth be destroyed because of their parents’ addiction to drugs. So how can we take a stand against such ills in our community?

A Community-based program for substance abuse prevention is answer. In order to rid communities of drug abuse and crimes related to drugs, we must put drug dealers out of business. Since drug trafficking and sale of drugs are so profitable, it has become big business. The only way to put any business out of business is to decrease demand for product or service.

To accomplish this, each community must provide preventive interventions in their small part of world. Collectively, we can have a long-term impact on ridding world of illicit drug use and drug abuse.