THE FORGOTTEN WAR PART 4

DOBBS: Bill, thank you -- Bill Tucker.

Turning now to another trend that is concerning many in this country, the
growing use of antidepressant drugs. Those drugs are among the most widely
prescribed medications in the country, a $14- billion-a-year industry. Many
of the consumers -- and there are millions of them -- are children and
adolescents. And that is troubling some health professionals, who worry
that, instead of helping depression, some of these drugs may in fact be
worsening conditions.

Kitty Pilgrim reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KITTY PILGRIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tens of thousands of
Americans are depressed and anxious.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, AD)

UNIDENTIFIED ACTRESS: I used to be happy. I remember being happy.

(END VIDEO CLIP) PILGRIM: Doctors wrote more than 100 million prescriptions
of antidepressants last year. According to the American Psychiatric
Association manual, a person is clinically depressed if they have at least
five symptoms most days over a two-week period: sadness, loss of interest
or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, change of appetite or weight,
difficulty sleeping or oversleeping, physical slowing or agitation, energy
loss, feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt, difficulty thinking
or concentrating, or recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.

Thoughts of suicide are the primary issue these days, especially when it
comes to children. Some studies suggest certain antidepressants may
increase thoughts of suicide.

Doctors like Joseph Glenmullen, the author of "Prozac Backlash," question
dangerous side-effects, particularly in children. In June, Senator Charles
Schumer called on the FDA to push ahead with its own study, saying,
"Instead of helping kids overcome their depression, there is more and more
evidence that Paxil makes it worse."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We really need to be doing more research in this whole
area. For a lot of years, we just relied on the adult research, which is
wrong, because kids are not just little adults. They need different
dosages. They have different kinds of side- effects.

PILGRIM: The FDA Web site says it is currently reviewing reports of an
increased risk of suicidal thinking and suicide attempts related to the use
of the drug Paxil in children and adolescents under the age of 18 with
major depressive disorder, or MDD. "We are recommending that Paxil not be
used in the treatment of pediatric MDD."

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PILGRIM: Now, doctors we spoke to also said there's a big concern about
children coming off too quickly. And the FDA Web site also warns of severe
side effects if a person suddenly stops take the antidepressant and
recommends that they do that even under the supervision of a doctor -- Lou.

DOBBS: The serotonin-based drugs, in point of fact, are under review across
the board now.

PILGRIM: They certainly are. In fact, there are quite a few questions. Many
doctors are questioning their efficacy with the use of children and whether
you should even give them to children.

DOBBS: And one of the remarkable aspects of this is the almost similar
performance of placebos against these drugs.

PILGRIM: Yes, there is that disturbing study. And so you have to really go
through many studies. The British have done quite a few studies on this.

[snip]

DOBBS: This week our series of "Special Reports" on America's war on drugs,
what we are referring to as the forgotten war, tonight we focus on
rehabilitation, the final line of defense when interdiction and prevention
have failed. Only one of every six drug abusers who needs treatment is
receiving it. Peter Viles reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For those of you who just came in, we are talking about
the list that we developed two weeks ago on five things that I want to
change about myself. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good morning, family. My name is
Orlando.

CROWD: Hey, Orlando.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the things that I'd like to change is my level of
responsibility because I feel that as an addict I became irresponsible.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I really need to work on that pride issue, you know. I
need to humble myself. I need to realize that, you know what, it's okay
today that I'm an addict because I'm an addict in recovery and I do have
another shot at life.

PETER VILES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Phoenix House, a residential drug treatment
center in Brooklyn, where drug addicts come to rebuild broken lives. Dorian
Baldwin is a cocaine addict. He's been in the program three months.

DORIAN BALDWIN, COCAINE ADDICT: It works if you want it to. If you come in
with an open mind once you sign your name on that piece of paper that
states that your life is unmanageable, unbearable, and someone needs to
help you with that, then it works.

VILES: For most drug addicts, though, treatment does not work because most
addicts don't give it a chance. Dr. Herbert Cleaver estimates he has
treated 5,000 addicts.

DR. HERBERT CLEAVER, ADDICT COUNSELOR: What they all want is controlled
use. I mean, what the crack addict wants is to be able to take an
occasional hit off the crack pipe. What the alcoholic wants is to be able
to knock back a couple with the guys on Friday or Saturday night.

VILES: Government statistics bear him out. The government estimates there
are 6.1 million Americans who abuse drugs to the point that they need
treatment. 1.1 million do get some form of treatment. And what about the
rest? The vast majority, 4.7 million, don't get it because they don't think
they need it. The so-called denial gap.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Anybody else want to chime in on...

VILES: Treatment isn't always successful. The relapse rate is above 50
percent, but when it works, it literally saves lives. Mitch Rosenthal
founded Phoenix House in the late '60s.

MITCH ROSENTHAL, FOUNDER PHOENIX HOUSE: As we're sitting here, there are
6,000 men and women and boys and girls in Phoenix Houses in nine states in
America. Most of them, a year from now, will have their lives back together
and be changed human beings.

VILES: Bill Scott hopes to be one of them. A recovering heroin addict, he's
been at Phoenix House for eight months.

BILL SCOTT, RECOVERING HEROIN ADDICT: People should know that it's not
hopeless. Take it from somebody that slept on the trains. There's always a
light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes you might not see it, because
that tunnel is really long, but if you keep moving forward eventually
you'll get there.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VILES: Treatment is not cheap, and the federal government at $3 billion a
year is the biggest payer for it but numerous studies have shown that
treatment is a smart investment of federal money. It is a lot cheaper than
prison, and in the long run it does save the government money -- Lou.

DOBBS: And it definitely saves lives 20,000 lives a year lost directly to
drug. Peter Viles, tough story. Thank you very much. We appreciate it.