Don’t ask me why. But, just as I’ve reveled in swallowing nine shots of tequila in a dank, Mexican bar, American’s are proud pills poppers. They wear their prescriptions like a badge…I’m not sure which is worse. But, if I had to bet, I’d say “pill pride.”

When I toss too many back, I know what I’m getting into. My ego goes from being really big to very big in the blink of an eye. This is partly why my book, Over-The-Counter Natural Cures, is so much fun to read (or offensive depending on your point of view). At times, I drank to break up the monotony of writing, and subsequently my ego took pot-shots at the pharmaceutical and supplement industries (essentially, one in the same). That’s a predictable outcome, and knowing that is awareness in motion, no matter how stupid the act might be.

In contrast, the outcome associated with popping pills can be unpredictable because you rarely get what you’re being promised. Rather than gain health, sometimes you lose it, along with your wealth. Just as counterfeit Rolex watches are sold to intoxicated teenagers on the streets of Mexico, the pill pushing industry sells counterfeits of Mother Nature to consumers dizzy with marketing spin. Here are five of the deadliest pills that you and your loved ones might be swallowing.