Regulation Of ADHD Drugs
( In Canada)
May 2006
A warning is issued that identified heart-related risks associated with ADHD drugs.
Health Canada advised Canadians not to use Strattera, Dexedrine, Ritalin, Ritalin SR, Concerta, Attenade, Biphentin and Adderall XR if they have moderate to severe high blood pressure, heart disease or abnormalities, hardened arteries or an overactive thyroid gland.
September 2006
Health Canada further revises its prescribing and patient information for all ADHD drugs in Canada to add the "potential for psychiatric adverse events."
Last year, more than two million prescriptions for the drugs were written in Canada.
Canadian adverse drug reaction reports from 2000 to 2005 indicates there were about two dozen cases of mood, personality and psychological reports among ADHD drug users.
There were also three suicides, but no direct link has been proven or substantiated between the events and the drugs.
Regulation Of ADHD Drugs
( In The U.S.)
In August of 2006, The New York Times reports that the FDA has ordered stronger warning labels for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs, including Adderall, Concerta, Dexedrine, and Ritalin, to caution against their use in adults and children with heart problems and to alert doctors that the drugs can cause one child in a thousand to experience hallucinations.
The updated warnings come after some reports of sudden death in children after taking the drugs. It should be noted that evidently, some of the children were later determined to have had structural heart defects.
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"I don't believe there is such a thing as Attention Deficit Disorder. If somebody had given me Ritalin (as a child) I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be where I am. Because all of those instincts would have been squashed, you know? So I really worry about that stuff, what they're doing with kids."
Jim Carrey
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"I would say that Ritalin, Adderall and particularly this year, one called Straterra are no harder to get at school than a joint. In fact, probably easier, especially at mid-terms and finals."
Peggy - Sophomore
"I think most kids just don't really think it's that big a deal. The ones that use them (study drugs) just use them and don't try and push it on anyone else. And the ones that don't use them don't seem to mind that others do. No one is trying to win people over to their side."
Kevin - 2006 graduate
"I don't think that some students like feeling that they're at a disadvantage cause' they're very competitive. The study drugs are just another tool."
Cheryl - Second Year
"In about the last two years, we've had three 'information sessions' at school on drugs. And in each case, they act like we don't have a clue about drugs and they talk to us like we're little children.
And not only do they contradict each other, some of them contradict themselves within their own presentation.
And I think that makes students just stop listening."
Carly - Just graduated 10th Grade
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"I was dealing for almost five years and I sold every pill there was. And sometimes somebody dealing will buy a whole whack of something bad, or it'll be the wrong thing. So they won't sell that to their customers cause' you gotta' keep them. So they pawn it off to another dealer. It's dangerous, cause' payback's a bitch, but they do it."
Kenny - Former "Salesman"
Ontario, Canada
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(Page 2 of 6 In This Section)
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Ritalin is a brand name of methylphenidate, which is a central nervous stimulant used to treat Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in both adults and children. Adderall is the newer variation of Ritalin and is distinguished by its ability to stay in the system longer. (The effects of a typical dosage of Ritalin lasts about 6 hours, whereas Adderall's effects last about 10 - 12 hours.) Because of its "extended release" feature, many people who use Adderall versus Ritalin describe Adderall as "smoother," and less of a "roller-coaster" effect. But there's a bigger difference between the two because Adderall is a combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, sometimes referred to as "Amphetamine Mixed Salts." As a result, some would argue that Adderall has a far greater potential for abuse. Adderall has now replaced Ritalin as the number one "study drug" used by students in North America.
The Rest Of The ADHD Drug "Family
*** Atomoxetine is not a stimulant under the Controlled Substances Act. It's thought to work by targeting a neurotransmitter in the brain called norepinephrine. This neurotransmitter is considered important in regulating attention, impulsivity and activity levels, all of which are considered "out of whack" in ADHD candidates. What They Were Designed To Do Drugs like Ritalin and Adderall are used to treat "ADHD" or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is what's termed a disorder of "executive function," which refers to the kind of mental skills you need to carry out goal-directed behavior. Obviously, that covers a great many activities and is one of the reasons why these types of drug treatments have become so popular, and so aggressively prescribed. Let's Get Our Acronyms Straight Since Ritalin and Adderall will likely be remembered as both a God-send for some, and as one of the most over-prescribed and/or incorrectly prescribed medications in the history of mankind, we should begin our examination by first clearing up a common misconception. For some reason, many people (some of whom should know better) think that Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are two different disorders. Well, they're not. They're actually two names for essentially the same thing with only a slight variation between the two. For the time being, we'll ignore the fact that it's also been called "Brain Damaged Syndrome," (BDS) "Minimal Brain Dysfunction" (MBD), and Hyper-kinetic Impulsive Disorder. (HID) Where people tend to get confused is not realizing that Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has three primary variations and they are as follows: First there's "ADHD - Combined Inattentive-Hyperactive" type. Depending on the circumstances at hand, this individual will display symptoms of both predominant inattentiveness and predominant hyperactivity which are described below. Then there's "ADHD - Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive" type. The majority of this type are males and display characteristics such as interrupting without realizing they are, talking incessantly, difficulty in sitting still/always fidgeting, difficulty doing tasks quietly, extremely impatient, difficulty with waiting their turn, always running around, climbing, grabbing at things. This type may be inattentive as well, but their predominant behavioral characteristic is hyperactivity. The old term for such a child was "a real handful." " Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive types" also tend to intrude on others, can be very rebellious and arrogant, might be very bossy among peers, will show off and be very egotistical. This group will attract friends, but have difficulty bonding. And finally there's "ADHD - Predominantly Inattentive" type. This type tend to be females and display characteristics such as a lot of daydreaming, always losing things, appear not to be listening, difficulty focusing and keeping their attention on things, tend to avoids tasks that require focus for any length of time, extremely disorganized, difficulty following steps or instructions, poor short-term memory, make what appear to be careless mistakes. They also tend to to be very aware of and respectful of other peoples boundaries, very obedient, not terribly assertive, overly polite, socially withdrawn, shy, modest. They bond well with people, but don't tend to attract many friends. When ADHD Typically "Presents" Itself The pattern of behavior usually arises between the ages of 3 and 5, and is most often "diagnosed" during the elementary school years because the child displays some or many of the previously mentioned behaviors. (Technically, the behavior(s) should be present or persist for at least six months, but as we all know, some physicians will prescribe Ritalin six nanoseconds after they learn your health insurance number.) Most symptoms are said to improve during adolescence or adulthood, but the disorder can persist throughout adulthood as well. Methylphenidate also is occasionally prescribed for treating narcolepsy. (sudden, spontaneous, deep sleep) So How Many Really Need It? Some experts feel that only 1 in 100 children need the drug, while others argue it's as high as 1 in 10. As we said at the outset, some feel that the inordinate amount of ADHD medication being prescribed has less to do with real need and much more to do with what's described as a "cozy relationship" between the medical community and the pharmaceutical industry.
How Many Are Getting It? The following table shows the pattern for people taking ADHD drugs for the year 2005 from various age groups. (Source Medco) Increase in ADHD prescriptions for adults 20 and older: 11% Increase in ADHD prescriptions for people 20-44: 19% Doctors prescribing ADHD medications for all age groups:
Doctors prescribing ADHD medications to people 20-44:
Conclusion? There are a lot of people taking ADHD medication and more all the time. Figures are not currently available for all of North America but an FDA advisory committee in the U.S. has said prescriptions for ADHD drugs filled annually have a value of $3.1 billion. (figure reported April 2006) On the next page, we'll look at what something like Ritalin and Adderall actually do in your system, and the growth in popularity of ADHD drugs being taken by students attending college and university. <<<Previous Page (1) >>>Next Page (3)
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