Ritalin Abuse Grows Unchecked
June 19, 2001
Recent reports reveal that school children are abusing Ritalin at an alarming rate. According to one Drug Enforcement Agent, children "use it as a party drug, they crush it up and snort it. Some of them refer to it as kiddy cocaine." Ritalin is a drug used to treat Attention Deficit - Hyperactivity Disorder, or "ADHD." Use of the drug has come under fire recently as many educators and pediatricians question the severity of ADHD and the need to treat the condition with potent medications such as Ritalin. In fact, lawsuits have been filed against Ritalin's maker accusing the company of encouraging doctors to over diagnose ADHD.
Health experts warn that unsupervised use of Ritalin can be addictive and potentially fatal. The drug can cause tremors, palpitations, hypertension and convulsions. However, with over 11 million Ritalin prescriptions written each year, children have easy access to the drug. Many children sell excess pills to colleagues not suffering from ADHD. A recent study of 3,500 high school students found that 13% use someone else's Ritalin. Many drug counselors worry that such recreational use of Ritalin may lead young people to experiment with more dangerous illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
The abuse of Ritalin has lead one pharmaceutical company to develop an abuse resistant form of the medication. The company is designing a Ritalin patch that delivers a time-released dose, making abuse of the drug less likely. Industry analysts predict that FDA approval of the patch will take at least two years. Until then, medical experts encourage parents to remain vigilant with regard to Ritalin abuse.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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