The Doping of America's Children

Townhall ^ | 15 Jan, 2003 | Joel Mowbray

[rooster1]

The number of young children hooked on powerful narcotics has skyrocketed over the past 15 years, but the Drug Enforcement Agency won’t be doing anything about it—because the drugs in question are being peddled by pediatricians. In the most comprehensive study of its kind, a new report details how legal drug use among youths has more than tripled since 1987, which means that kids are now doped by doctors at the same rate as adults are.

[headsonpikes]

Hold on. These are government-approved drugs.

Approved, H*ll! Encouraged is more like it.

Socialism, in all its forms, is evil.

The WOD is evil.

Drugging children is evil.

The sadistic intellectual clowns who sanctify these depredations are evil.

Ah well, at least those gubmint drugs don't grow wild. ;^)

[shrinkermd]

P>"The number of young children hooked on powerful narcotics has skyrocketed over the past 15 years, but the Drug Enforcement Agency won’t be doing anything about it—because the drugs in question are being peddled by pediatricians. In the most comprehensive study of its kind, a new report details how legal drug use among youths has more than tripled since 1987, which means that kids are now doped by doctors at the same rate as adults are."

Drugs may or may not be over used in children; however, children are not receiving "narcotics." A narcotic drug is an opium derivative or equivalent. Further, if you actually read the study he refers to the only drug with abuse potential used is Ritalin or other amphetamines. The other drugs used include antipsychotics presumably for autistic and other serious disorders and antidepressants since biological childhood depressions are now thought to be more prevalent than previously assumed.

Actually the author seems scarcely qualified to examine this issue--"A graduate of the University of Illinois and Georgetown Law School, Joel worked on Capitol Hill for former Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC), where he established his reputation as a leading advocate for Social Security privatization. Earlier he spent two years working for Pioneer Strategies under now-Fox News reporter Heather Nauert."

I hope this is not the state of conservative discourse on Townhall. If it is, it is a disservice to fair-minded conservatives who wish to pursue a polarizing issue.

[rooster1]

The other drugs used include antipsychotics presumably for autistic and other serious disorders and antidepressants since biological childhood depressions are now thought to be more prevalent than previously assumed.

Maybe this is because they sit in front of a TV or computer all day and don't get out and play games like most of us older folk did when we were growing up. Oops, I forgot, most of those games, like tag, red rover, dodge ball, etc., have been banned because it may lower their self esteem.

Seems to me it may make the kids try harder to succeed.

[KC_Conspirator]

Children are over medicated and its lazy parenting. Sure there is a small percentage of children who could benefit from this, but almost every high school shooter was one of these kids knocked up on Ritalin.

[gavriloprincip]

communism? socialism? Who decides what drugs kids recieve, their parents on the advice of doctors and teachers? or you? hmmm... tough one :)