(Ed. note: Consider the following
article in the context of both the medical marijuana debate and the "anti-drug"
propaganda. As the article points out, there are "millions", over three million,
teenagers being given a powerful central nervous system stimulant, while being told that
marijuana leads to the use of cocaine, a powerful central nervous system stimulant. And of
course, allowing medical use of marijuana would send the wrong message that it is
harmless, just like Ritalin.)March 9, 1998
From Calgary Herald (Canada)
By Ann Rees
Southam newspapers Vancouver
letters@theherald.southam.ca
http://www.calgaryherald.com/
Ritalin Puts Some Kids Into Zombie-Like State
Ritalin is the most-studied drug used on children in the world.
But views are poles apart when it comes to the safety and potency of the stimulant used
to treat millions of North American children with attention-deficit disorders.
Canadian and American drug-control agencies place Ritalin and other forms of
methylphenidate in the same controlled drug category as its cousins,
cocaine and amphetamine.
"Methylphenidate is a central-nervous-system stimulant and
shares many of the pharmacological effects of amphetamine and cocaine," said a
report by the American Drug Enforcement Administration.
Other doctors say it’s no more dangerous than Aspirin. (Ed.
note: Aspirin kills thousands of people every year and should not be given to children
running fevers. But other than that….) Most medical professionals believe 40
years of Ritalin use proves it is a safe drug. "Ritalin is the first drug of choice
because, compared to others, it is more effective and has less side-effects." said
Dr. Jean-Marie Ruel, special medical advisor with the bureau of drug surveillance for
Health Canada. It’s believed Ritalin increases the dopamine in the brain, which helps
nerve cells to communicate more quickly.
Common side-effects include appetite suppression, sleep
disturbance, anxiety, periodic, depression and, often in the initial introduction of the
drug, stomach aches and headaches. Growth suppression is still a subject of debate.
Less common are tics, tongue thrusts, jaw-clenching, picking at skin, or biting nails.
In very rare cases, children experience hallucinations or temporary psychosis.
An American National Institute of Mental Health study found 24 per cent of parents
reported ‘dullness’ in their children at the high range of safe dosing levels.
The illegal use of the drug has become a serious concern for drug enforcement agencies,
primarily in the U.S. Ritalin is illegally used by drug addicts in combination with other
drugs.
Meanwhile, the stimulants long-term track record has not been
tested. Novartis, the manufacturer of Ritalin, admits there are no studies that have
followed a group of specific individuals for even two years while they were taking the
drug.
U.S. President Bill Clinton has placed Ritalin on a list of drugs that need more
testing to determine dose levels.
Anyone can identify the symptoms of attention-deficit disorders. But it takes an expert
to make an accurate diagnosis.
Key symptoms include inattention, disorganization, fidgeting and restlessness and, in
some cases, impulsive behaviour such as blurting out answers to questions before they are
asked or failing to wait turns in groups.
But complicating the diagnosis is the fact that up to 50 per cent of children with ADHD
also have learning disabilities.
In addition, about 30 per cent of the children with the disorder will have poor
physical co-ordination and motor control. Gifted children may also show signs of
hyperactivity.
Children who are depressed, anxious or suffering from abuse may also show the symptoms.
Supported