For those that are unfamiliar anything Biblical – the New Testament was written in Greek.  It was written by Hebrews, but at that time Greek was the more popular language of the area.  Here is a link to a Greek to English lexicon for that verse -- http://biblelexicon.org/revelation/18-23.htm.

 As you can see the English version's “sorcery” is actually taken from the Greek word “pharmakeia.”  There is a clear link between the words “sorcery” and “pharmakeia.”  The Greek word “pharmakeia” is originated from “pharmakeuó” defined as “to administer drugs.” Since it is hard for some people to relate to – and to – understand sorcery.  The verse could be translated as:  The merchants/salesmen were the great men of the earth (men with power, money and influence) and the nations were deceived by “pharmakeia.” 

When this verse was first brought to my attention I thought of the Big Pharmaceutical companies and all their power and political influence.  I was like, “Yeah I could totally see how this related to our time.”  But, I didn’t even realize this doesn’t just have to apply to the Big Pharmaceutical companies.  The illegal drug market is off the carts!!!!! 

   The Mexican cartel alone is estimated to be worth between $13 billion and $49 billion a year… Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican_Drug_War ..... That  is only one outfit. Who can imagine the full scale of the trade?  Think that this would fit in with the Rev 18: 23 verse as well? I think this is an end times verse that we see happening around us.  Any opinions on the matter?

David Kupelian is an award-winning journalist, managing editor of WND, editor of Whistleblower magazine, and author of the best-selling book, The Marketing of Evil His newest book, How Evil Works, released to much critical acclaim in the spring of 2010.   David Kupelian says :As I documented in “How Evil Works,” it is simply indisputable that most perpetrators of school shootings and similar mass murders in our modern era were either on – or just recently coming off of – psychiatric medications:
http://www.wnd.com/2013/01/the-giant-gaping-hole-in-sandy-hook-reporting/  

David Kupelian says : Indeed, pharmaceutical manufacturers are nervous about lawsuits over the “rare adverse effects” of their mood-altering medications.     

Rev 18: 23 "and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery."   Original Greek - καὶ φῶς λύχνου οὐ μὴ φάνῃ ἐν σοὶ ἔτι, καὶ φωνὴ νυμφίου καὶ νύμφης οὐ μὴ ἀκουσθῇ ἐν σοὶ ἔτι· ὅτι [οἱ] ἔμποροι σου ἦσαν οἱ μεγιστᾶνες τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἐν τῇ φαρμακείᾳ σου ἐπλανήθησαν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, Sorcery is translated from "φαρμακείᾳ" pharmakeia.  It appears as if drugs and sorcery have something in common.

{ Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words  } To<A-1,Noun,5331,pharmakia[-eia]> (Eng., "pharmacy," etc.) primarily signified "the use of medicine, drugs, spells;" then, "poisoning;" then, "sorcery," Gal. 5:20, RV, "sorcery" (AV, "witchcraft"), mentioned as one of "the works of the flesh." See also Rev. 9:21; 18:23. In the Sept., Ex. 7:11,22; 8:7,18; Isa. 47:9,12. In "sorcery," the use of drugs, whether simple or potent, was generally accompanied by incantations and appeals to occult powers, with the provision of various charms, amulets, etc., professedly designed to keep the applicant or patient from the attention and power of demons, but actually to impress the applicant with the mysterious resources and powers of the sorcerer. <A-2,Noun,3095,magia[-eia]>
"the magic art," is used in the plural in Acts 8:11, "sorceries" (see SORCERER, No. 1). <B-1,Verb,3096,mageuo>
akin to A, No. 2, "to practice magic," Acts 8:9, "used sorcery," is used as in A, No. 2, of Simon Magnus.pic: Sorcery