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Why do I get the notion that if a doctor had "prescribed" marijuana and the school and the courts forced the mother to keep administering it to her kid, that the outcry by some on FR would be against the parent for demonizing the wonderweed.

Geeze Dane. You sure have pot on the brain a lot these days, even in posts that don't have anything to do with it. Methinks you doth protest to much, you know what I mean?

Long story short: Ritalin CAN help with ADHD in some serious cases. I know from personal experience. BUT....BUT...

A) Do not FORCE it on kids, for crying out loud.

B) Ritalin is just a tool that needs to be used in conjuction with other behavior therapies.

When I took Ritalin, it was for only about 10 years (1981 to 1991, age 6 to 16), and I was allowed to make my mind up as to when I wanted to go off it. I took it because it was the only thing that worked for me and I didn't suffer from any of the side effects, and when I took it, I was one of maybe 5 kids in 500 at my school was on it. (So 1% at best.) And now they give it to every frigging kid! ADHD is not THAT PREVALENT a condition, and not every kid with it NEEDS Ritalin. It's just the makers of Ritalin have teamed up with the State to make profits for themselves! This is far too dangerous a drug to force on all these kids, because it DOES have some bad side effects for some people!!!

This is an evil beyond description. The Public Education system has failed. I honestly do not think there is any way to salvage it.

When I took Ritalin, it was for only about 10 years (1981 to 1991, age 6 to 16), and I was allowed to make my mind up as to when I wanted to go off it.

Mind if I ask: How did the drug help you? How were you feeling when you had "ADHD"? What was happening that led to that diagnosis? And, if you were diagnosed with ADHD then, why don't you need the drug now?