The following article is from "The Eagle Forum" Spring 2001 issue

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So Johnny's on Ritalin!
What's the big deal?

~ by Dr. Fred Baughman, MD

Teacher to concerned parent: Mrs. Smith, your Johnny often fidgets
with his hands and feet, often leaves his seat in a classroom or in
other situations where remaining seated is expected. He has difficulty
playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly. He is often "on the
go". and talks excessively. I'm afraid that your child will not make

good grades and may even be held back. Therefore, because of his
hyperactivity, I suggest you see the school psychologist for his
"disease".

Perhaps he has ADD or ADHD. You know, the mythical diseases that have
never been proven and there is no foolproof testing for these
so-called "disorders". Don't be concerned! Leave it up to the trained
experts to know what to do. We have taken care of hundreds of children
with the same symptoms.

All your child needs is a schedule II drug that is in the same
category as opium, cocaine, morphine, and heroin. Actually, it is an
amphetamine-like drug, but in children it acts like a tranquilizer.

Don' t worry, Mrs. Smith, the side affects are minimal. Let's go over
them now. Well, there's loss of appetite, weight loss, inability to
stay asleep, heart palpitations, drowsiness, joint pain, nausea, chest
pain, and abdominal pain. Sometimes this drug will stunt your child's
growth. Possibly it could lower Johnny's testosterone levels and it
could potentially cause Tourette's Syndrome (Tourette's in children was
l out of 200,000 but today is l out of 200), or your child may just
get motor tic or epileptic seizures.

Oh yes, in the medical manual of mental disorders it says that this
type drug can cause a persecutory delusion, paranoid state, psychosis
or he may become a chemically created psychopath and he might harm
himself or others. (The news media never mentioned if any of the
children killing other children have been on this drug, even though
there has been some evidence that this is the case), I guess they felt
it wasn't important, after all, it's always the gun's fault, you know.

Mrs. Smith, not to worry, more than 1 in every 30 American students
between the ages of 5 and 19 have a prescription for this drug,
according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. Production has gone
from about 2000 kilograms a year one decade ago to nearly 12,000
kilograms last year. Why, even though Michigan is third in this drug's
use, and that U.S. manufacturers increased the production of this drug
by 62%, when asked at a Town Hall meeting, Governor Engler said he
didn't know what it was! "Is that a prescription drug?" Hard to
believe, isn't it?

Just a couple of more things, Mrs. Smith, Johnny may not be able to
serve his country in the armed services because of his use of this
drug. Also, recent studies have shown that children who take this drug
are 46% more likely to commit one felony, 36% more likely to commit two
or more felonies, 25% more likely to be institutionalized in a mental
facility or prison, and 15% more likely to commit suicide. (I wonder
why with all the teen suicides, this drug is never mentioned!)

Don't worry, Mrs. Smith, we'll have Johnny under control soon!

THE BIGGEST DRUG PUSHER IN YOUR TOWN HIDE BEHIND THIS SIGN:

"DRUG FREE SCHOOL ZONE"

IF PARENTS KNEW THE TRUTH ABOUT RITALIN, WE WOULD HAVE ZERO
TOLERANCE FOR THIS DRUG IN THIS COUNTRY! STOP IT'S USE!

Send this article to everyone you know!!!!

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