Free Republic

For many people it is difficult to comprehend how children younger than 5 could be prescribed mind-altering drugs and be taking them on a regular basis, but according to a recent survey by Express Scripts Inc., a private pharmacy benefit manager that researches drug trends, not only are children from birth to age 5 being given antidepressants, it is this age group that has shown the largest proportional increase in the use of antidepressants. The Express Scripts survey, titled Trends in the Use of Antidepressants in a National Sample of Commercially Insured Pediatric Patients, 1998 to 2002, presented prescription-claims data...

It transforms the lives of many 'hyper' children, but as pupils peddle it at school, a new drug nightmare is unfolding. Simon, 14, is a hit with the girls. At most afternoon breaks, he can be found surrounded by a posse near the netball court at their comprehensive school in northern England. They want his drugs, but not to get high. They want Ritalin to suppress their appetite and help preserve their wafer-thin frames. Simon is popular with the boys, too. However, they want only to get high, crushing the tablets and snorting a substance chemically similar to cocaine for...