Ritalin Abuse Increasing
November 25, 2001
Drugs used to control Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) are becoming evermore popular, but not necessarily among doctors. ADD drugs are increasingly sold on the black market and the number of unprescribed users is soaring. Popular ADD drugs include Adderall and Ritalin-"vitamin r" to many college users. Experts say younger children, who get the drugs from peers being treated for ADD, are also abusing the stimulants.
In a recent report published in Psychology in the Schools, 651 grade school students in several mid-western states were surveyed. A third of the children who were using a prescribed ADD drug revealed they had been asked to sell their pills and more than half told researchers they knew of students who sold or gave away prescriptions.
Officials at the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) say abuse may continue to rise due to the increased production of ADD drugs such as Ritalin. Increasing crime rates have been reported in rural areas of the country where ADD drugs seem to be the most popular. For instance, two teens in rural Illinois were recently arrested for stealing $10,000 worth of amphetamines and Ritalin from a pharmacy.
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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