Brenda Stardom [ Legally DRUGGING the KIDS ]

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4-7-2003 - Legally DRUGGING the KIDS

10:19 am GMT

I am shocked out of my drawers to find Ritalin is still being given to kids labeled with ADD or ADHD - attention deficient disorder or attention deficient hyperactive disorder. I can remember when it wasn't even an acronym or at least bandied about as it is today. Schools have used it at whim for too many years to 'control' kids they deem hyperactive and class-disruptive. I was one of those kids, but luckily the thought of using drugs to 'control' me hadn't been heard of yet. How's this for shocking -- 9 million kids were prescribed Ritalin, Adderall and other drugs last year alone.

I got to thinking about and researching Ritalin after it was disclosed someone in the family was on it. My scale tipped way low after hearing this. I thought to self, there should be a law against this. I was pleased to find that one was just passed in May, but unpleased to find it only dealt with the cutting of federal funds to schools who coerced kids into taking it. I think it should be against the law to give this and the other drugs such as Adderall, to children. Adults get arrested for it, for cripe's sake.

"In March, Rep. Max Burns (R-GA) introduced the Child Medication Safety Act (H.R. 1170), a bill that would require states, as a condition of receiving federal education funds, to establish policies and procedures prohibiting school personnel from requiring a child to take medication in order to attend school. A non-controversial provision similar to the Burns measure was added to the Improving Education Results for Children with Disabilities Act (H.R. 1350), the reauthorization of the nation’s special education law that was approved by the House of Representatives last week.

Parents are losing their right to choose. They are being told that ADHD is a ‘neurobiological’ disorder when even the Surgeon General’s 1999 report on mental health cannot confirm this,” continued Bryson. “They are being denied access to tutoring or additional educational services for the sake of a ‘quick fix’ drug like Ritalin that some studies say is more potent than cocaine.”

I recall my best friend's plight way back when I lived in the states. Her son was wild, intelligent, and also the class clown. His teacher hated him and did everything she could to assure his life would be hell at school. She flunked him in every subject and berated him in front of the class, which only made his behaviour worse. Then she discovered Ritalin and with the backing of the school psychologist demanded he take it or else.

Tamara told them where to shove it, yanked him out of the school and packed up the family wagon, headed to Oregon, enrolled him in school where it was found that he was dsylexic and the reason for his behaviour was to cover up the fact he couldn't read. Shouldn't that be a required test of all kids are get slapped with the label 'hyper'? He was given special attention after school 'rerouting the nerves in his brain' and by the end of that school year he was reading and his behaviour was normal. The little school he attended was appalled at the way things were done in California.

This was said years ago. "The abuse of Ritalin as a recreational drug is also a problem. It was first seen in New England prep schools, according to Dr. Eric Heiligenstein, head of psychiatry for the University of Wisconsin Health Services. "Ritalin abuse was first noticed at New England prep schools where access is easy because so many students have Ritalin prescriptions -- often not warranted by medical need." According to the DEA, at least one in 30 Americans between ages 5 and 19 has a Ritalin prescription.

Because it has nearly the same chemical makeup as cocaine and speed, Ritalin is often abused. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration reports that Ritalin "ranks in the 'Top 10' controlled drugs stolen from doctors and pharmacies." Kids crush the Ritalin pills into powder and snort it or inject it. Last fall, four youths allegedly stole 27 bottles of pills from the nurse's office at Westford Academy, reported the Boston Herald. Sixteen of the bottles contained Ritalin. Other bottles held the depressant Lorazepam. In 1996, a girl at Duxbury High School overdosed on Ritalin and was hospitalized. With more public schools handing out Ritalin to more and more kids, there's more drug abuse. Some students even sell their Ritalin prescriptions.

More than 90% of Ritalin's market is in the United States, which says something about how Ritalin is viewed by health officials in other countries, said Breggin. Ritalin was banned in Sweden in 1968 because it was abused. Ritalin is rarely prescribed in Britain. In March, the United Nations advised the World Health Organization to investigate the use of Ritalin."

Here's an exerpt from a 1995 UN report which went unheeded..

"At present, the unprecedented high level of ADD diagnosis in children, the very widespread prescription of Ritalin and the growing abuse and black market appear to be limited to the United States. But, the INCB foresees the likelihood that this trend will soon take hold in other countries. Some of the parent groups promoting methylphenidate in the United States have announced their intention to extend their activities outside the country. The Board is therefore requesting all Governments to exercise utmost vigilance to prevent the overdiagnosing of ADD and any medically-unjustified treatment with methylphenidate and other stimulants. It has also requested the World Health Organization (WHO) to investigate this matter and to provide expertise to national public health authorities."

The 1996 annual report stated this: "With abuse of illegal amphetamine-type stimulants reaching epidemic proportions, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) is concerned that despite the warning it issued a year ago, the issue still requires serious attention."

This article touches on more than the death of a 9th grader - I advise reading it all as it gets conflicting after another study came out touting the benefits. "On March 21, 2000, 14-year-old Matthew Smith dropped dead of a heart attack while skateboarding. The ninth-grader had been on Ritalin since the first grade. Lawrence Smith, father of the youngster, has testified that he and his wife were forced by Michigan Social Services to put their child on Ritalin or else be charged for neglecting their son's educational and emotional needs.

"His last report card was his best," says Lawrence Smith. "But it wasn't worth it for us. Putting him on Ritalin was the worst decision I've ever made." And that's because no long-range study had been made of the effects of Ritalin on children who take it over a number of years."

Then there's this. "The long term outcome for children is another story that has often been overlooked.A report on a comprehensive follow-up study at Montreal Children's Hospital discovered that “at the end of five years, hyperkinetic children who received drugs (either Ritalin or Chloropromazine) did not differ significantly from children who had not received the drugs. Although it appeared that hyperactive kids treated with Ritalin were initially more manageable, the degree of improvement and emotional adjustment was essentially identical at the end of five years to that seen in a group of kids who had received no medication at all.”

Yesterday I spoke with several friends about the practice of giving drugs to kids who are considered 'out of control'. I wish I had pictures of the reactions. My friend Therese at first thought I meant did kids use drugs on their own and said, "well a few smoke hash." I explained I meant if the schools provide drugs. Her eyes widened and she said "Of course not - why would they do that?". I got the same reaction from Laura. Her exact words, "I'm shocked." Then she went on to say that she becomes more and more disillusioned with the US each day and how she used to believe it was heaven on earth. Her husband was shaking his head saying, "crazy Americans." I've always felt this way about drugs as an easy fix for hard to deal with kids and now that the abuse factor has entered, it's just plain crazy to prescribe this and other drugs.

This was posted on Slashdot of all places.

Re:Chemistry in ADHD (Score:5, Interesting)
by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday June 18, @10:40AM (#6233265)
I was diagnosed ADD in 6th grade. (I'm 21 now) After starting to take Cylert, my math and science scores plummeted. Which was a terrible thing for me, since math and science was what I prided myself upon. I also began having outrageous migraines.

I quit cold-turkey. In a glorious moment of defiance, I flushed the entire (very very expensive) bottle of mindsuppressor down the toilet.

My opinion - ADD / ADHD is some scientists made-up excuse for my (our) brain running faster than his. The jellous (sic) bastard ought to be so lucky.

I've learned to live with it, I've learned to avoid situations when I need to concentrate. I cope, I handle, and obviously, it's not that much of a problem. I often times think ADD actually helps my code.

I've been drug-free since that moment when I told my parents they should take the *ucking medicine and see how they like it -- then proceeded to dump the entire bottle. Quitting cold turkey didn't give me any side effects -- at least none that were worse than the stuff that damn drug did to me.

The best part was -- I could think again.

P.S. After quitting cylert, my math grade - which had gone from a 99% A the first two nine-weeks to a 68% (near failing) the third nine-weeks - went right back up to a 99%, and suddenly, everything made sense again.

To that jellous (sic) asshole of a 'doctor' that put me on that stuff, I salute you with one finger. "

These comments are from a forum under the topic "Kids and Medication"

"Posted by: Brent on January 3, 2003 10:29 PM
Agreed--too many teachers and parents are too quick to get these kids on Ritalin just because they don't fit within an accepted norm of behavior. I've heard too many horror stories about Ritalin."

Posted by: Rebecca Meyer on January 4, 2003 09:04 AM
Students who are a little bit hyper get thrown on Ritalin. Back in the mid-to-late 80s, I was a hyper kid, and my kindergarten teacher suggested that I be put on medication to deal with this. I saw a psychiatrist who said 'she's normal... she's five!'. I remember not being allowed to have cherry jello as a result of the theory that red food dye causes hyperactivity. I always got stuck with lemon, which I hate. Yes, I was a hyper kid. Yes, I hated to stay in my seat. Yes, I loved to socialize. No, I didn't need a psychotropic drug. I grew out of it and was as calm as can be by middle school."

The use is very controversial, parents so many times believe the 'experts' and allow their kids to walk out of a Drs. office with a 'script in hand. Also, the diagnosis of ADD or ADHD is sometimes done by the school, not a professional and then they're sent to get their pills, off which the doctors and drug companies are making a fortune.

All in all, in my own personal opinion, these drugs are evil, they can kill or cause brain and heart damage and they're being abused and dealt like any other drug amongst students. Parents need to bone up on both the causes and the treatments and reevaluate their decision to put their child on drugs. At least now, thanks to the new law, schools can't keep a kid out if they don't take their meds. Hopefully the next law will outlaw the usage and other methods of dealing with hyperactive kids will be found.

"Ritalin does not improve complex skills such as reading, athletic ability, and social behavior. Grades may improve, but Ritalin cannot correct a learning disability...Ritalin does not improve significant emotional problems."
--James M. Swanson

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