Here's my two cents about the increase of Ritalin kids. My information comes from the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration. I came across the information due to the fact that I serve on the Franklin County Managed Care Board. This Managed Care Board's first line of business was to get all the poor kids onto Managed Medicaid, in other words an HMO. A poor kid in Ohio is a child in a family that makes less than 150% of the poverty level-that's $1700 per month less child care expenses for a family of 3. As I sit through these absolutely outrageous meetings, we have come upon "drug" discussions. I wondered why it costs $54 for a bottle of 30 OTC-over the counter -Tylenol. That's for the dr's visit and the prescription filled-yep OTC Tylenol and OTC-Robitussion Cough medicine has to be written in prescription if the Medicaid, or Healthy Start parent can get the drugs with the tax payers footing the bill. Well, those 2 OTC drugs were nothing in comparison to the $120-150 per month for Ritalin,or Cylert, Wellbutin, and a list of others. Now, this is where the U.S. Department of Justice comes in. The DEA folks along with Drug Demand Reduction Administration (DDRA)--these are in every state --explained that we will see a DECREASE in these drugs for Medicaid and Healthy Start kids. That the increases we have been seeing in more school kids taking Ritalin and the list of others have been due to drug addicts, such as parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc., taking or selling their kids' meds. Ritalin or methylphenidate hydrochloride sells for $5 for the 5 mg up to $16 for the 20 mg on the street. Since it is classified as a Schedule 11 Stimulant all prescriptions filled must be reported to the states Attorney General's office, the DEA and some other agencies. According to the DEA and the other groups abuses of methylphenidate produces the same effects as cocaine. Drug addicts will take their kids tablets and dissolve the tablets in water and inject the mixture. Unbelievable! According to the DEA and National Guard Counterdrug Coordinators researchers investigation since 1993 they have seen an increase in lung disease and blood vessels.The drug addicts "doctor shop" their kids to get the prescriptions. Then they pharmacy shop. The addicts also take Ritalin and OTC diet pills-Dexedrine or something like that and can make a substance called "ice" which gets its name because it looks like crushed up ice. Ritalin is not the only drug use to make "ice" other amphetamines can be used. "Ice" is a substance that can be smoked. The agents described this stuff as just as "crack " is smokeable cocaine, "ice" to is smokeable speed. Ritalin is also referred to a Vitamin "R" among high schoolers and college kids. They have Vitamin "R" parties. According to the DEA it gives super abundance energy when you need to pull an all nighter for exams, great to lose weight before Spring Break, feelings of invincibility, and helps athletes perform better.This information blew me away. But, it also gave me a different insight on the soaring rate that Ritalin is prescribed. I guess the kids can take it up to 3 times per day, with the teacher or school nurse administering it once. These kids are told by their parents, or whomever they are giving the drugs to, to not swallow the pills. I got to see the hand of one of the boys, about 12, that took some of his dad's money that he got from selling his Ritalin. The day took a spoon and heated it over the gas stove and seared the boy's hand to teach him not to take things that wasn't his. Now, all this information is another spin on Ritalin that we need to put in our files before we start shooting one another. Do I believe that Ritalin is over used in the schools, absolutely? Does the state get more $$$ from the US Department of Education for kids that are classified as ADHD? If the school has written up an IEP, and the school psychologist has prepared a statement for the student's record, yes they do. The last year I checked the school or maybe its the states get $400-$500 from the USDOE for each IEP kid.
** uhuh ** The President said he is reducing taxes.
uhuh.
Congress says they are balancing the budget.
uhuh. Sez who?
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