MORE DRUGS IN SCHOOLS

A few columns ago I discussed some of the aspects of drugs in school. This
time I would like to discuss Ritalin. Ritalin is a drug in the amphetamine
class. Currently there are 11 million people in the United States being
prescribed Ritalin. Eighty per cent of those eleven million are children.
That is 8.8 million children.

Ritalin is a schedule two drug. Along with drugs like morphine and cocaine.
These are drugs that have medical uses but also have high potential for
abuse. Eight million eight hundred thousand children. Now hold on to your
hats. A study recently done at Brookhaven National Laboratories and
reported at:

http://www.insightmag.com/archive/200110015.shtml

has found that Ritalin is STRONGER than cocaine. Eight million eight
hundred thousand children. Today. And we have no idea of its long-term
effects on the brain function of children. Some current theories suggest it
may make its users susceptible to cocaine or methamphetamine addiction.
Eight million eight hundred thousand children.

Ritalin is prescribed most often for a malady known as ADHD
attention-deficit hyper-activity disorder. This is a group of symptoms most
often evidenced by males and was often called rambunctious ness in former
times. The kids just want to run around all the time and have trouble
studying. We used to encourage such children into sports and/or the manual
trades. But the schools are out of the trades - too expensive to teach. And
you can't get into sports unless you are also a competent academic.

With no place for these kids to get the kind of education best suited to
their inclinations and temperaments, they become trouble makers in school.
But this is America. In America, we have a technological solution. We have
drugs. But not just any old over-the-counter or under-the-table drugs.. We
have doctor approved and pharmacy supplied drugs. And who gives
these monopolists their power? Why our very own government which is trying
to protect us from the evils of unapproved treatments. Now its true that
many unapproved treatments are harmful. And people do get hurt using them.
There are some, however, that do help. But in a free country government
and/or its approved agents should not decide what treatment you might want
for any given condition. It is up to each individual to decide. Consult
with only AMA doctors if that gives you comfort. But don't give them or the
police a monopoly on health care.

The police. In America we have police chasing the 2 or 3 million cocaine
users trying to get them to stop using cocaine while at the same time we
have an army of doctors foisting an amphetamine stronger than cocaine on
nearly nine million children. Ladies and gentleman of the country: this
makes no sense. Unless you are into class warfare. Because what is
mandatory for one class is forbidden to another. Based purely on the
distribution channel.

This is un American. About as un American as you can get. We are better
than this. And we should prove it by ending prohibition. Today.

Don't forget to ask a politician: Do you support drug prohibition because
it finances criminals at home or because it finances terrorists abroad?

M.L. Simon is an industrial controls designer and Libertarian activist.