GunKid on Ritalin

news (prop1@prop1.org)
Fri, 28 May 1999 17:29:07 -0400 

FWD From: Ian Goddard <Ian@Goddard.net> 
 
 ANOTHER SCHOOL SHOOTER ON PRESCRIBED PSYCHOTROPIC

  One month after the school shooting in Littleton, 
  CO, where the leader of the two dead gunmen was 
  on the mania-inducing drug Luvox, a youth on the
  mania-inducing drug Ritalin went on a shooting 
  rampage at a high school in Conyers, Georgia. [1] 

  Ritalin, or methylphenidate, is a stimulant that, 
  along with methamphetamine, is classified by the 
  DEA as a Schedule III drug. [2] Ritalin makes 
  "overactive" kids more manageable and obedient.
  However, in some cases Ritalin can induce mania 
  and "psychotic episodes including hallucinations"
  that subside upon discontinuation of the drug. [3] 

  Research also shows that Ritalin can cause normal
  brains to function like schizophrenic brains. As 
  a study published in the journal "Archives of
  General Psychiatry" (9/88, p.827-32) states [4]:

    "Methylphenidate induced a pattern of 
    information processing dysfunction similar 
    to that seen in schizophrenic patients...  
    Further, the time course of the observed 
    deficits in both schizophrenic and methyl-
    phenidate-induced states is strikingly 
    compatible with the temporal mapping 
    pattern of monoaminergic neuronal systems." 

  While doctor-prescribed Ritalin use increased 
  five-fold since 1990 [5], Ritalin is also a 
  popular drug with students as a means to get 
  high. As an article at student.com states [6]:

    "Some swallow [Ritalin] pills, while others 
    crush tablets into powder and snort the drug 
    like they would cocaine. Students report 
    abuse has become so common -- and students 
    like the drug so much -- that fraternities 
    are stockpiling it with the same vigilance
    they take to ensure they never run out of beer." 

  Ritalin is also popular on the "Rave scene,"[7]
  and research shows that its mode of action on 
  the brain is comparable to that of cocaine, [8]
  which can also trigger violence in some cases.

  More information on the dangers of Ritalin: 
  http://www.breggin.com/ritalinprnews.html 
  http://www.breggin.com/consensusnihfails.html 
  http://www.syix.com/adsg/linda/ritalin.htm 
  http://www.worldnetdaily.com/bluesky_bresnahan
  /19990429_xex_doping_our_k.shtml 
  http://home.gci.net/~dougs/ 

 ________________________________________________
 [1] Reuters: "Lawyer Confirms Georgia School 
 Shooter On Ritalin." Tuesday May 25 8:56 AM ET. 
 http://dailynews.yahoo.com/headlines/ts/story.
 html?s=v/nm/19990525/ts/crime_shooting_130.html 

 [2] DEA drug classifications:
 http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/csa.htm 

 [3] http://www.mentalhealth.com/drug/p30-r03.html 

 [4] Archives of General Psychiatry: "Methylpheni-
 date-induced information processing dysfunction in
 nonschizophrenic patients." 1988 Sep;45(9):827-32. 

 [5] http://www.breggin.com/consensusnihfails.html 

 [6] http://www.student.com/article/ritalin 

 [7] http://www.pcb.co.za/users/ravesafe/ritalin.htm 

 [8] (journal) Synapse: "Comparable changes in 
 synaptic dopamine induced by methylphenidate 
 and by cocaine in the baboon brain." January
 1999;31(1):59-66. http://igm.nlm.nih.gov 
 

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GODDARD'S JOURNAL: http://www.erols.com/igoddard/journal.htm 
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