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American kids getting high on prescription drugs
American kids getting high on prescription drugs
BOSTON (Reuters) - When Paul Michaud's father died of cancer, the 16-year-old took OxyContin to ease his emotional pain. He first snorted the prescription painkiller and within weeks he was injecting it into his veins for a more powerful high before turning to heroin as a cheaper option. "It was the one drug that really pulled me. It took away everything," said Michaud, now 18, one of a new generation of American children getting high on and addicted to prescription drugs. Teenagers are increasingly experimenting with legal drugs like OxyContin, widely known as "hillbilly heroin," and Vicodin, often bought online or taken from medicine cabinets, even before trying marijuana or alcohol, health officials say. "Last year, painkillers were the No. 1 drug for people taking drugs for the first time," said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, an arm of the government's National Institutes of Health. "It's been escalating and escalating," she said. "In the past, the No. 1 drug for new initiates was marijuana." Michaud, who attended a Boston area high school, was caught stealing to pay for what he described as his almost instant addiction to OxyContin -- which can cost $80 to $100 for a 40 mg pill. He was then checked into a drug and alcohol clinic. He has since been in and out of rehab programs six times. "It destroyed my life pretty much. I haven't seen any of my teenage years," he said from the Phoenix House, a clinic in the western Massachusetts city of Springfield, where he says he has been clean for 50 days. Michaud is not alone. Last year's Monitoring the Future study, produced jointly by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the University of Michigan, found a 38-percent rise in abuse of OxyContin among 18-year-olds between 2002 and 2005. While overall drug use dropped 19 percent over the past four years, about one in 10 teenagers were abusing prescription drugs, the survey showed. "PHARMING PARTIES" Among the most dangerous experiments are "pharming parties" where children meet after scouring family medicine cabinets and dumping what they find into a bowl. They stir things up, dip in, randomly pluck drugs out and swallow them. "They literally do not know what they are taking," said Michael Rich, director of the Center on Media and Child Health at Children's Hospital in Boston. "They can overdose or take medications that counteract with each other or interact with each other in dangerous ways. When you combine the anti-anxiety drug Klonopin for example with alcohol, they work in the same way and can very much lower the threshold at which you stop breathing," he said. Volkow at the National Institute on Drug Abuse said many teens associate prescription drugs with family doctors, and consider them safe, or have had positive experiences with properly prescribed medication in their early childhood. The challenge, she said, is to control abuse without banning drugs that do more good than harm to society. OxyContin, which is sold generically and generates about $2 billion in annual sales, is widely used in hospitals. The issue grabbed public attention in Boston after the suicide in January of 17-year-old Cameron O'Connor, who shot himself in the head a day after taking Klonopin. His death in Boston's middle-class Arlington suburb triggered calls for better ways to detect teen abuse of prescription drugs. Teenagers are not the only prescription drug abusers. The number of people over the age of 55 treated for abuse of opiates, for example, has nearly doubled between 1995 and 2002, government statistics show. In 2003, conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh admitted becoming hooked on OxyContin. "We're also seeing an increase in the use of these drugs in young adults," said Lloyd Johnston, lead investigator at Michigan's Institute for Social Research, which researches the government's 700-page Monitoring the Future study. *** Free account sponsored by SecureIX.com *** *** Encrypt your Internet usage with a free VPN account from http://www.SecureIX.com *** |
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American kids getting high on prescription drugs
Ilena wrote in message ... American kids getting high on prescription drugs So what do you propose should be done about all this, Ilena? Sure, drug abuse is a problem. What does this have to do with mha? Why post it here? -- --Rich Recommended websites: http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles http://www.acahf.org.au http://www.quackwatch.org/ http://www.skeptic.com/ http://www.csicop.org/ |
#3
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American kids getting high on prescription drugs
"Rich" wrote in message ... Ilena wrote in message ... American kids getting high on prescription drugs So what do you propose should be done about all this, Ilena? Sure, drug abuse is a problem. What does this have to do with mha? Why post it here? -- --Rich it shows the real nature of pharma med (1.5 million benzo addicts UK) and the need to use nutrients which don't have these problems, quite aprt from the drug pusing of the drug companies by inventing diseases such ADHD http://www.adhdfraud.com/ |
#4
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American kids getting high on prescription drugs
"john" wrote in message ... "Rich" wrote in message ... Ilena wrote in message ... American kids getting high on prescription drugs So what do you propose should be done about all this, Ilena? Sure, drug abuse is a problem. What does this have to do with mha? Why post it here? -- --Rich it shows the real nature of pharma med (1.5 million benzo addicts UK) and the need to use nutrients which don't have these problems, quite aprt from the drug pusing of the drug companies by inventing diseases such ADHD http://www.adhdfraud.com/ So if you come to my emergency room with a broken leg, you want some nutrients instead of narcotics? It's a deal. By the way, ADHD medications are not "benzo's." -- --Rich Recommended websites: http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles http://www.acahf.org.au http://www.quackwatch.org/ http://www.skeptic.com/ http://www.csicop.org/ |
#5
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American kids getting high on prescription drugs
"Rich" wrote in message ... So if you come to my emergency room with a broken leg, you want some nutrients instead of narcotics? It's a deal. By the way, ADHD medications are not "benzo's." Pharma is good for trauma med. it was benzos, now the next round of addictive drugs are the ritalin lot see how it works? |
#6
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American kids getting high on prescription drugs
"Rich" wrote in message ... Ilena wrote in message ... American kids getting high on prescription drugs So what do you propose should be done about all this, Ilena? Sure, drug abuse is a problem. What does this have to do with mha? Why post it here? -- By LIDIA WASOWICZ UPI Senior Science Writer http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDai...6-091132-9736r SAN FRANCISCO, March 17 (UPI) -- Nutritionists are convinced that, just like everyone else, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are what they eat. Specifically, the specialists have their eye on so-called omega-3 fatty acids as playing some role in the condition that, in general, is marked by trouble keeping still, difficulty in maintaining attention, propensity toward acting impulsively or some combination of the three. Omega-3 fatty acids are plentiful in cold-water fish, such as salmon, herring, tuna, clams, crab, cod, flounder, sole, halibut, catfish, trout and shrimp. They also abound in nuts; soybeans; walnut, olive and flaxseed oil; seeds; whole grains and dark leafy greens. The fatty acids comprise a hefty component of the brain, which weighs in at about 60-percent fat. The compounds, which studies indicate are essential for forming and maintaining the dopamine system, have been found in short supply in some, though not all, children diagnosed with ADHD. Many researchers see ADHD as a hereditary imbalance of brain chemicals, such as dopamine -- which regulates movement, emotion, motivation and sensations of pleasure. That view is strongly contested by critics who point to a dearth of physical evidence for such a notion. Whatever their connection to the "feel-good" chemical in the brain, the omega-3 fatty acids appear to have an impact on a child's behavior, portending problems in youngsters who don't have enough of the compounds. As one example, a recent Duke University study of 96 boys ages 6 to 12 indicated those with low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids face increased risk of ADHD-like behavior, learning and health challenges. There is also some evidence the compounds may play a benevolent role in the production of myelin, a protective insulation that coats the brain's internal wiring, A novel model of human brain development and degeneration proposed by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles implicates disruption of myelin production in such childhood developmental disorders as autism and ADHD. From a review of scanned and autopsied brain tissue, the investigators unraveled the role of myelin in these conditions. Laden with more cholesterol than any other brain component, the sheet of fat surrounds the spindly nerve-cell extensions called axons, permitting them to carry messages to their neighbors in the safety and security of their armor. The thicker and heavier the cells' coat, the faster and more effective their communication, said team leader Dr. George Bartzokis, professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine and director of the UCLA Memory Disorders and Alzheimer's Disease Clinic and the Clinical Core of the UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. The pioneering neuroscientist discovered that myelin production continues unabated throughout the first four decades of life before peaking and plummeting at age 45. His latest research portrays the protective shield as the neural system's Achilles' heel, vulnerable to a host of environmental assaults. "Myelination, a process uniquely elaborated in humans, arguably is the most important and most vulnerable process of brain development as we mature and age," Bartzokis said. Without adequate insulation, cells won't connect properly, he has found in a series of experiments that showed a breakdown in the sheath can expose the naked wiring beneath and open the gates to an array of neurological and behavioral problems. Bartzokis's theory holds that humans "myelinate" different circuits at various points in life, which could explain the sizeable differences between brain diseases of the young and old. An early disruption of the process, for instance, may throw for a loop the development of the basic circuits that govern language and social communication, two key impairments in autism. A glitch during the early school years could hamper the ability to process information efficiently and effectively, leading to deficits in attention that characterize ADHD. Later in life, the result of a malfunction could be Alzheimer's disease. To Bartzokis, the human brain is akin to high-speed Internet. "The speed, quality and bandwidth of the connections determine the brain's ability to process information, and all these depend in large part on the insulation that coats the brain's connecting wires," he said. The findings may explain why developmental disorders leave no calling card in the brain. "There's no dead anything on autopsy," Bartzokis said. "Those brain connections just never developed normally." Bartzokis's studies also show female brains make better myelin, which could explain why boys are at much greater risk for autism, ADHD and other problems. "On the positive side, there are some interesting things to consider," Bartzokis said. "For example, essential fatty acids are fats that are necessary for membrane production, and myelin is essentially pure membrane." "They are called 'essential' because the human body cannot produce them, and, therefore, they are like 'vitamins' -- they need to come from a good diet," he added. "Thus, nutrition is very important because the brain is very busy trying to build the myelin sheaths." Still, researchers don't have the skinny on the exact relationship between the fats and ADHD. Although alternative medicine practitioners report some success in ameliorating symptoms with the use of fatty acid, mineral, vitamin B and other supplements, none of these has been embraced as standard therapy. Conventional and complementary practices also part ways on the role, and remedial potential, of food additives, sugar or allergens. All of these remain controversial, having failed to withstand rigorous scientific scrutiny, according to a compilation of ADHD data by Dr. Peter Jensen, director of the Center for the Advancement of Children's Mental Health at Columbia University. Next: Seeking environmental clues to ADHD. (Editors' Note: This series on ADHD is based on a review of hundreds of reports and a survey of more than 200 specialists.) -- UPI Health News welcomes comments on this column. E-mail: © Copyright 2006 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
#7
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American kids getting high on prescription drugs
"Rich" wrote in message ... "john" wrote in message ... "Rich" wrote in message ... Ilena wrote in message ... American kids getting high on prescription drugs So what do you propose should be done about all this, Ilena? Sure, drug abuse is a problem. What does this have to do with mha? Why post it here? Why not? -- --Rich it shows the real nature of pharma med (1.5 million benzo addicts UK) and the need to use nutrients which don't have these problems, quite aprt from the drug pusing of the drug companies by inventing diseases such ADHD http://www.adhdfraud.com/ So if you come to my emergency room with a broken leg, you want some nutrients instead of narcotics? It's a deal. By the way, ADHD medications are not "benzo's." I think you skipped right over the point. In FACT ADHD medications are now going to have *black box* warnings. This is what is given to kids as young as age two and three. -- --Rich |
#8
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American kids getting high on prescription drugs
"Jan Drew" wrote in message om... "Rich" wrote in message ... "john" wrote in message ... "Rich" wrote in message ... Ilena wrote in message ... American kids getting high on prescription drugs So what do you propose should be done about all this, Ilena? Sure, drug abuse is a problem. What does this have to do with mha? Why post it here? Why not? -- --Rich it shows the real nature of pharma med (1.5 million benzo addicts UK) and the need to use nutrients which don't have these problems, quite aprt from the drug pusing of the drug companies by inventing diseases such ADHD http://www.adhdfraud.com/ So if you come to my emergency room with a broken leg, you want some nutrients instead of narcotics? It's a deal. By the way, ADHD medications are not "benzo's." I think you skipped right over the point. In FACT ADHD medications are now going to have *black box* warnings. This is what is given to kids as young as age two and three. So what's that got to do with people abusing prescription narcotics? -- --Rich Recommended websites: http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles http://www.acahf.org.au http://www.quackwatch.org/ http://www.skeptic.com/ http://www.csicop.org/ |
#9
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American kids getting high on prescription drugs
"Rich" wrote in message news "Jan Drew" wrote in message om... "Rich" wrote in message ... "john" wrote in message ... "Rich" wrote in message ... Ilena wrote in message ... American kids getting high on prescription drugs So what do you propose should be done about all this, Ilena? Sure, drug abuse is a problem. What does this have to do with mha? Why post it here? Why not? -- --Rich it shows the real nature of pharma med (1.5 million benzo addicts UK) and the need to use nutrients which don't have these problems, quite aprt from the drug pusing of the drug companies by inventing diseases such ADHD http://www.adhdfraud.com/ So if you come to my emergency room with a broken leg, you want some nutrients instead of narcotics? It's a deal. By the way, ADHD medications are not "benzo's." I think you skipped right over the point. In FACT ADHD medications are now going to have *black box* warnings. This is what is given to kids as young as age two and three. So what's that got to do with people abusing prescription narcotics? See the title of the thread, Rich? American kids getting high on prescription drugs http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi...&date=20060224 Excerpts: Millions have misused ADHD stimulant drugs, study says "Houston, we have got a problem because we are just in the middle of this epidemic." More than nuff said. -- --Rich |
#10
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American kids getting high on prescription drugs
"Jan Drew" wrote in message . com... "Rich" wrote in message news "Jan Drew" wrote in message om... "Rich" wrote in message ... "john" wrote in message ... "Rich" wrote in message ... Ilena wrote in message ... American kids getting high on prescription drugs So what do you propose should be done about all this, Ilena? Sure, drug abuse is a problem. What does this have to do with mha? Why post it here? Why not? -- --Rich it shows the real nature of pharma med (1.5 million benzo addicts UK) and the need to use nutrients which don't have these problems, quite aprt from the drug pusing of the drug companies by inventing diseases such ADHD http://www.adhdfraud.com/ So if you come to my emergency room with a broken leg, you want some nutrients instead of narcotics? It's a deal. By the way, ADHD medications are not "benzo's." I think you skipped right over the point. In FACT ADHD medications are now going to have *black box* warnings. This is what is given to kids as young as age two and three. So what's that got to do with people abusing prescription narcotics? See the title of the thread, Rich? American kids getting high on prescription drugs http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi...&date=20060224 Excerpts: Millions have misused ADHD stimulant drugs, study says "Houston, we have got a problem because we are just in the middle of this epidemic." More than nuff said. No, that's not "nuff." It doesn't answer my question to Ilena, "What do you propose we do about it?" All of the drugs that are being abused have legitimate medical uses and cannot be "banned" without causing widespread unnecessary suffering. I KNOW that you do not believe that ADHD medications should exist, but you are wrong, and that still has nothing to do with oxycontin and other prescription narcotics. -- --Rich Recommended websites: http://www.ratbags.com/rsoles http://www.acahf.org.au http://www.quackwatch.org/ http://www.skeptic.com/ http://www.csicop.org/ |
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