Children’s ADHD Prescriptions Increase Nine-fold, Ages Three and Up

Heather Callaghan

The UK, like the U.S., is concerned by a baffling increase in heavy prescription drugs like Ritalin and psychotropics apparently given to children diagnosed with ADHD* as young as three – although guidelines condemn its use for children under age six. Medical pundits called for a significant decrease and are noticing that parents are pressuring doctors for the meds to increase their children’s performance. The same exact issue happens in the U.S. with doctors groups standing up against the trend. Their fear is that Ritalin is prescribed out of expediency and convenience in lieu of more expensive, time-taking options like counseling (and overall health).

Recently, child psychologists gathered at a summit in Manchester to discuss the rising “medicalization of childhood.” Ritalin – methylphenidate hydrochloride – is considered safe by allopathic standards and time-tested, but is a serious drug with the ability to cause nausea, mood swings, fatigue, insomnia, loss of appetite, heart problems and heart attacks and is linked to suicide. It is considered comparably safe to hardcore self-medicating like alcohol (think: quick dopamine shot), cocaine, and Speed. But for kids?? Three-year-olds??

Med Mob Has Groomed 70 Percent of Americans on Prescription Drugs

Dees Art

Heather Callaghan

Have you ever had a family member come home with a drug sample? Kind of like those Wal-Mart product samples you can get in the mail except it's handed to you in good faith by an authority. Prescription medicines are the first go-to solution of doctors for almost any type of ailment.

Recently, Mayo Clinic research found that 70% or 7 out of 10 people in the U.S. are on prescription drugs. Twenty percent are on five or more prescriptions. Shocking as that may seem, it isn't really when one considers that some of those prescriptions were most likely given to combat the side effects of the original prescriptions.

Strangely, or not so strangely, 7 out of 10 deaths each year are from chronic disease like heart, strokes, and cancer. Almost one out of every two Americans suffered from a chronic illness in 2005. (Source) This system is working out great - just not for U.S. patients.

States linking prescription databases, fight abuse

Emery P. Dalesio
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. — Starting next year, dozens of states will begin knitting together databases to watch prescription drug abuse, from powerful painkillers to diet pills.

With federal money and prodding, states are being asked to sign onto an agreement allowing police, pharmacies and physicians to check suspicious prescription pill patterns from Nevada to North Carolina.

Civil liberties and privacy advocates have objected to the state databases, which would be linked with technology and standards developed by the Justice and Homeland Security departments.

Thirty-four states operate databases to fight a drug problem authorities say is growing more deadly than heroin.



"I've got people that are kin to me that's addicted and I see firsthand what it does," said Tracy Carter, sheriff in Lee County, N.C.. about 30 miles southwest of Raleigh. "The thing that's so darn frustrating is our young people don't think it's that big of a deal. 'It's a pill. It won't hurt me. The doctor prescribed it.' But it's worse than crack cocaine."

North Carolina had 826 unintentional deaths due to controlled substances last year, said Bill Bronson, the state health official in charge of the database. In comparison, there were 482 homicides statewide.

Nationally, there were 27,658 overdose deaths from prescription medication in 2007 – more than heroin and cocaine combined, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in July. The threat is increasing as the most addictive pain relievers including OxyContin, which can produce a euphoric feeling, become more common, the Drug Enforcement Administration said.

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