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Saturday, March 30, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Measures to Test Welfare Applicants for Drugs Advance in Texas, Kansas
Bills that would require drug testing for welfare applicants advanced in Texas and Kansas this week.
In Texas a bill that would have resulted in children permanently
losing benefits based on a third failed drug test by a parent was
amended. The bill’s author accepted changes to ensure children would
continue to receive benefits while their parents are in rehabilitation
programs, the Austin American-Statesman reports.
Based on these changes, the state’s Health and Human Services Committee voted to approve the bill.
Under the bill, welfare applicants in the state would undergo drug
screening. If the results indicated good cause to suspect drug abuse,
applicants would be required to undergo drug testing. Applicants with
previous felony drug convictions, or a prior positive drug test, also
would be required to undergo drug testing. Applicants who tested
positive would lost benefits for a year, but could reapply in six
months, after they passed another drug test.
Children would receive benefits regardless of their parents’ drug test results.
The Kansas House approved a bill that would require drug testing of
applicants for welfare or unemployment if they were suspected of drug
abuse, according to The Wichita Eagle.
Under the Kansas bill, applicants who failed drug tests would be
required to participate in drug treatment and job skills training, paid
for by the state and federal government. If they applied and failed
again, they would lose benefits for a year.
Anyone convicted of a drug felony would be barred from receiving
welfare for five years. A second conviction would lead to a lifetime
ban, the article notes.
The Kansas Senate has already approved the measure. According to the
newspaper, the Senate is likely to agree to several minor changes
approved by the House, before advancing the bill to Governor Sam
Brownback.
Supreme Court Rules Drug-Sniffing Dog Searches are Unconstitutional
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that police must first
obtain a search warrant before bringing drug-sniffing police dogs onto a
suspect’s property to look for evidence, the Associated Press reports.
The decision may limit how investigators use search dogs to look for
drugs, explosives and other hidden items, the article notes.
The court voted 5-4 to uphold a Florida Supreme Court ruling that
threw out evidence seized based on an alert by a chocolate Lab named
Franky. That court ruled the dog’s ability to detect marijuana growing
inside a home in Miami by sniffing outside the house was
unconstitutional.
Franky, who recently retired after seven years with the Miami-Dade
Police Department, is responsible for the seizure of more than 2.5 tons
of marijuana and $4.9 million in drug-contaminated money.
Government organizations around the country use thousands of dogs to
sniff out illegal items, track criminals and search wreckage sites,
according to the AP.
Last month, the U.S. Supreme court ruled police do not have to extensively document a drug-sniffing dog’s expertise to justify relying on the canine to search a vehicle.
The unanimous ruling overturned a Florida Supreme Court decision
involving Aldo, a German shepherd. After the dog detected drugs in a
pickup truck, a police officer searched the truck and found 200
pseudoephedrine pills and 8,000 matches, which are used to make
methamphetamine. The Florida Supreme Court ruled police must compile
detailed evidence of the dog’s reliability before probable cause to
search the vehicle is established.
FedEx, UPS Say They Are Targets of DEA Probe Into Online Pharmacy Shipments
FedEx and UPS say they are targets of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation into online pharmacy shipments, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
The DEA effort is aimed at cracking down on the country’s
prescription drug abuse epidemic, the article notes. The agency will not
confirm its involvement in the investigation, but both shipping
companies have disclosed the probe in corporate filings, according to
the newspaper.
Federal officials want the companies to take responsibility for the
prescription drugs inside the packages they are shipping, the article
states. FedEx spokesman Patrick Fitzgerald responded, “We are a
transportation company — we are not law enforcement, we are not doctors
and we are not pharmacists.” He added, “We have no interest in violating
the privacy of our customers by opening and inspecting their packages
in an attempt to determine the legality of the contents. We stand ready
and willing to support and assist law enforcement. We cannot, however,
do their jobs for them.”
Fitzgerald said FedEx asked the DEA to provide a list of online
pharmacies that are suspected of illegal activity, so it can stop doing
business with them. He said the agency has refused to provide a list.
UPS would not comment on the investigation, but stated in a corporate filing that it is cooperating with the probe.
Earlier this month, U.S. Representative John Mica of Florida sent a
letter to DEA Administrator Michele Leonhart and Attorney General Eric
Holder, asking them to recognize “the difficulty and unfairness of
requiring those carriers to assume responsibility for the legality and
validity of the contents of the millions of sealed packages that they
pick up and deliver every day.”
Mica told the newspaper, “You can’t stop commerce; you can’t open
every package. I’m only asking them [the DEA and Department of Justice]
for a reasonable approach.”
Thursday, March 28, 2013
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THE PARTNERSHIP OF DRUGFREE .ORG
Dear Joseph,
Last December at our annual Winter Wish Gala, we announced a new fund for children and families, in memory of our friend, our leader and our inspiration, James E. Burke.
His son, James, shared with us something very personal that night:
“As I look at my two young daughters, I am scared by the dramatic rise of prescription drug abuse among teens in this country…substance abuse and addiction would move my father in a way that would make him angry…make him cry at the devastation of young lives lost.”
His father’s passion for serving children and families remains with us today, and we often ask ourselves, “What would Jim do?”
It was Jim’s belief that parents and kids who struggle with substance abuse and addiction deserve the same quality of care, and open arms of support, that they would get with any other disease. It’s now our job to make that a reality.
To date, through donations to the James E. Burke Fund for Children and Families, we have raised close to $200,000 to provide valuable resources to families across the country, including sustaining our Parents Toll-Free Helpline, where our staff of caring professionals help callers every day.
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Florida Sees Significant Drop in Number of Oxycodone Deaths in First Half of 2012
The number of deaths due to oxycodone decreased by 29
percent in Florida in the first six months of 2012, compared with the
second half of the previous year, according to a new report.
The drugs that caused the most deaths in the first half of 2012 were
benzodiazepines, oxycodone, ethyl alcohol, methadone and cocaine. The
report found deaths due to methadone and hydrocodone decreased 18.3
percent and 16.4 percent, respectively. Deaths caused by cocaine
decreased by 11.6 percent.
The report,
issued by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, provides evidence
the state is successfully fighting the prescription drug abuse epidemic,
officials said. For many years, Florida was a popular destination for
people who wanted to buy prescription drugs at “pill mills” and doctors’
offices, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
In 2011, Florida Governor Rick Scott signed into law
a bill designed to cut down on prescription drug abuse by controlling
pill mills in the state. The law authorized the creation of a
prescription-drug monitoring database to reduce doctor-shopping by
people looking to collect multiple painkiller prescriptions. The
legislation also imposed new penalties for physicians who overprescribe
medication and imposes stricter rules for operating pharmacies.
The law had a major impact, according to a state government news release.
“Two years ago, Florida was home to 90 of the top 100
oxycodone-purchasing physicians on a nationwide list, and today Florida
isn’t on that list,” the release states.
“I am pleased that we are continuing to see a steady decline in the
number of prescription drug deaths,” said Florida Attorney General Pam
Bondi. “These declining numbers are a direct result of our comprehensive
strategy involving partnerships at the local, state, and federal level,
and together we are saving lives.”
Animal Study Yields Clues to Susceptibility to Alcohol Addiction
A study of mice suggests why some people may be more
susceptible than others to alcohol addiction. The findings may one day
lead to improved treatments, according to the researchers from Wake
Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
The researchers studied how individual mice responded to alcohol.
Lead author Jeff Weiner, Ph.D., explained when mice are given alcohol
every day, they tend to become more stimulated and run around more, Science Daily reports.
“In high doses, alcohol is a depressant, but in low doses, it can
have a mellowing effect that results in greater activity,” he said.
“Those low dose effects tend to increase over time and this increase in
activity in response to repeated alcohol exposure is called locomotor
sensitization,” Dr. Weiner said in a news release.
One group of mice was injected with the same amount of alcohol every
day for three weeks, while another group received a saline injection.
They found a large variation in the development of locomotor
sensitization to alcohol. “Surprisingly, when all of the alcohol-exposed
mice were given an opportunity to voluntarily drink alcohol, those that
had developed sensitization drank more than those that did not. In
fact, the alcohol-treated mice that failed to develop sensitization
drank no more alcohol than the saline-treated control group,” Weiner
said.
“We know that some people are much more vulnerable to alcoholism than
others, just like some people have a vulnerability to cancer or heart
disease,” Weiner added. “We don’t have a good understanding of what
causes this vulnerability, and that’s a big question. But if we can
figure it out, we may be able to better identify people at risk, as well
as gain important clues to help develop better drugs to treat the
disease.”
The findings appear in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Commentary: Rx Summit Features More Than 120 Presenters
More than 120 presenters are set to lead a national discussion about ways to “Make An Impact” on the prescription drug abuse epidemic when the 2013 National Rx Drug Abuse Summit convenes in Florida April 2-4.
I am thrilled at the exceptional caliber of presenters assembled for
this conference by the Summit’s National Advisory Board. The quality of
their presentations is reflected in our ability to offer multiple
continuing education credits for medical professionals (physicians,
nurses and pharmacists), social workers, attorneys, addiction and
prevention specialists, human resources, criminal justice and insurance
professionals.
There
is still time for you to add your voice to the more than 800 conference
attendees from across the United States who will collaborate on
impactful solutions at local, state and national levels through timely
and data-driven data about the prescription drug abuse crisis.
In addition to an outstanding line-up of keynote speakers – Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske, Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Thomas Frieden, National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention Director Frances Harding, Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Control Deputy Assistant Administrator Joseph Rannazzisi, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America Chairman/CEO Gen. Arthur Dean, Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. John Dreyzehner, Coalition Against Insurance Fraud Executive Director Dennis Jay and Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney John Niedermann – the Summit features:
• 30 breakout sessions grouped into educational tracks (law
enforcement, education/advocacy, clinical, treatment, pharmacy and
third-party payer). These sessions will be led by professionals from
many disciplines on the frontline of efforts to prevent, mitigate and
respond to prescription drug abuse issues.
• Nine workshops on three important focus areas: U.S. military,
prescription drug monitoring programs and successful strategies for
community change.
• Eight vision sessions offering in-depth examination of innovative
programs and strategies from organizations and businesses deeply
involved in the fight against Rx abuse and diversion.
• Four idea exchange sessions providing an interactive discussion on
issues pertaining to the Appalachian region, neonatal abstinence
syndrome and addiction among teens.
• A panel discussion featuring five members of the bi-partisan
Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse. Learn what actions are
currently being taken in Congress.
For information about the Summit visit www.NationalRxDrugAbuseSummit.org, or follow news about the event at Twitter.com/RxSummit, Facebook.com/RxSummit, or LinkedIn.com/RxSummit. Questions may be directed to Eric Rice at 606-657-3218 or erice@centertech.com.
Karen Kelly
President/CEO
President/CEO
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Commentary: Tax Revenue for Treatment
The abuse of prescription drugs is well documented. Many
possible solutions and remedies have been offered – at various levels of
government – ranging from expanded treatment and prevention, to
prescription drug monitoring systems. However, we find ourselves in an
era of shrinking budgets, for all domestic programs at all levels of
government. Whether the solutions we face lie in the health system,
justice system or elsewhere, there will be very little budget growth to
fund this fight for at least the remainder of the decade. If we are to
expand our fight against prescription drug abuse and want the support of
policy makers, it is incumbent upon us to find new sources of revenue
that will pay for the changes that must be made.
Although the word “tax” represents an incredibly sensitive and
politically charged topic these days, we need to explore it if that is
where our answer lies. Specifically, a sumptuary tax on the product that
is at the root of this problem: prescribed controlled substances (FDA
Schedules C-II through C-V). Ideally, this tax revenue would only be
used for preventive and rehabilitative services, and related expenses.
The funds would assist those without medical insurance, or the means to
pay for treatment.
Strong precedent exists for such a concept, such as the federal tax
on medical devices for the purpose of paying for health care services,
or state and federal excise taxes on alcohol or cigarettes. The
motivations behind so-called “sin taxes” vary. Taxes on products such as
tobacco and alcohol exist in part as a deterrent, with policy makers
holding the belief that a higher price on a product will discourage use
to a level that becomes abusive. This sounds fair in theory, but it does
not take into account the disease of addiction. For someone who is an
addict, whether to tobacco, alcohol or any other substance or behavior,
price is rarely an object. Our focus needs to be on the portions of
these tax revenues that are set aside for treatment and prevention
programs.
There is also precedence for the setting aside of funds generated
from legal activities in order to assist those that develop conditions
based on an abuse of said activity; specifically, problem gambling.
Casinos or racetrack casinos (“raceinos”) exist in 20 states, operating
legitimately, yet millions of people suffer from an addiction to
gambling. In many states, those who profit from gambling enterprises,
whether they be private or state entities, are required by law to set
aside a pool of funds to provide treatment for problem gamblers.
Depending on the state, this pool of funds can go toward assisting
localities, individuals, or both, especially with counseling and
prevention services.
We absolutely recognize the medical need for prescription drugs such
as OxyContin, Vicodin and others, as they play a vital role in pain
management for patients with no other alternatives, and who use them as
prescribed or under a doctor’s care, without abuse. Yet due to the lack
of institutional control over these substances – over prescription,
counterfeiting and inadequate monitoring- we are facing nothing short of
an epidemic caused by their abuse. Tax revenue of controlled
substances, sold with a prescription, can be an invaluable funding
stream used to address the damage that is known to result from the
widespread availability of and poor control over prescribed controlled
substances. Such an idea is easy to espouse, but far more difficult to
accomplish. The resources and commitment required to draft, introduce,
enact and enforce such legislation – at the state and federal levels –
could turn out to be exhaustive. Yet our calls for more treatment,
prevention and awareness have only taken us so far, and time is against
us. All of the details are far from ready, but the time for dialogue on
this idea is now. Let’s start talking.
Andrew Kessler is founder and Principal of Slingshot Solutions LLC, a consulting firm based in Fairfax, Virginia that specializes in substance abuse and mental health policy.
Sharon Blair is a national advocate
for prescription drug abuse treatment and prevention. She is the mother
of Jennifer Reynolds-Gonzalez, who lost her life to an overdose in 2009
at the age of 29.
Cartels Moving Drugs in Tanker Trucks Containing Industrial Hazardous Waste
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is hiring
contractors who can deploy hazardous waste contamination teams to two
sites in Texas, to extract drug packages buried in toxic waste,
according to Wired.
Cartels are moving drugs in tanker trucks containing various types of
industrial hazardous waste, CBP says. The agency acknowledged its
agents are not trained to safely extract the drugs and decontaminate
them for use as evidence.
The waste includes drilling fluids, oil and wastewater from gas and
oil wells. Wastewater from drilling wells may include benzene, which can
cause leukemia and bone marrow disease, the article notes. It also
includes calcium hydroxide powder, which can cause blindness if enough
of the substance gets into the eyes.
The agency wants experts for two checkpoints about 70 miles north of
the Texas-Mexico border. At the checkpoints, 18-wheel trucks are scanned
by drive-through X-ray machines. If the scans find anything that looks
like a drug shipment inside an industrial tanker truck, the contractors
will use vacuum trucks that suck out hazardous chemicals. Contractors
wearing protective suits and respirators will step inside the tanker and
remove the drugs.
The hazardous waste will be taken to a disposal or recycling facility that is allowed to accept the material.
Because of increased Border Patrol enforcement in Arizona, drug
cartels are increasingly looking to cross the border in remote parts of
south Texas, Wired states. Cartels have stolen and copied trucks owned
by energy companies in the area.
Good Morning!
I wanted to send a friendly reminder to please help
spread the word about The Council’s upcoming “Celebrating Families”
program for women in recovery and their children (ages 3-18). Please
pass along the attached flyer to anyone you feel
would benefit from this amazing and FREE program. Space is limited!
“Celebrating Families” consists of 13 weekly
sessions and includes a FREE family meal. There will also be lots of
giveaways and incentives throughout the program cycle, as well as FREE
social activities outside the program sessions.
“Celebrating Families” is a program to help
strengthen families and break the cycle of addiction to the next
generation. Some of the topics include: Healthy Living, Communication,
Feelings & Defenses, Chemical Dependency Affects the Whole
Family, Goal Setting, Healthy Boundaries, and more!
If you have any questions, please contact me any time.
Thank you,
Jessica Schwartz
Community Development Coordinator
The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.
252 West Swamp Road, Unit 12
Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18901
Phone: (215) 345-6644 ext. 3122
Fax: (215) 348-3377
(800) 221-6333 - 24 Hour Information Line
Friday, March 22, 2013
Some Toddlers of Women Who Used Meth in Pregnancy Show Abnormal Stress Response
Toddlers of women who used methamphetamine in pregnancy,
who live in an unstable home environment, appear to have an abnormal
response to stress, a new study suggests.
Methamphetamine stimulates the nervous system, and prenatal exposure
to the drug could affect the development of a child’s stress-response
system, HealthDay reports. If the child is repeatedly exposed to severe stress at an early age, it can further affect the stress-response system.
The study included 123 two-year-olds whose mothers used
methamphetamine during pregnancy. The researchers evaluated the
toddlers’ reactions when they were briefly separated from their mothers.
Children who lived in stressful conditions at home—such as having a
mother who drank heavily or suffered from depression or other mental
health problems—did not experience normal increases in levels of the
stress hormone cortisol.
“The lack of hormonal stress response that we observed in these
children has serious implications, such as a greater risk for
depression, anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder,” lead
researcher Namik Kirlic of the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma said in a
news release.
Children who had a more stable home environment had normal increases
in cortisol levels when they were separated from their mothers. “It’s
not the meth alone,” said researcher Barry Lester, Ph.D., Director of
the Brown Center for Children at Risk at Women & Infants Hospital of
Rhode Island and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
“It’s the combination of meth exposure and adversity after birth. We see
other things coming into play—the mother’s psychological health,
alcohol use, exposure to violence at home or in the community. The
postnatal environment is hugely important.”
The study appears in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Report Finds Child Poisoning Often Results From Pills Found in Purses and on Floor
A new report finds small children who end up in the
emergency room after being accidentally poisoned from medication are
more likely to find the pills in a mother’s purse or the floor than the
family medicine cabinet.
Children also find pills in other easy-to-reach spots such as sofa cushions and countertops, USA Today reports. The report was released by the nonprofit group Safe Kids Worldwide.
Most accidental medication poisonings in children result from
ingestion of medication belonging to a child’s mother or grandparents,
according to the report.
The group evaluated 2,315 emergency department records for children
up to age 4. In 2011, approximately 67,000 young children ended up in
the emergency room after being accidentally exposed to medication.
Accidental poisonings in young children rose 30 percent in a decade,
they found.
Of the records that stated the source of the medication, 27 percent
were on the floor or had been otherwise misplaced, while 20 percent came
from a purse, bag or wallet. An additional 20 percent were left on
counters, tables, nightstands or dressers, 15 percent were found in a
pill box or bag of pills, 6 percent were found in a drawer or cabinet,
and 12 percent came from other places.
In 86 percent of cases, the medications belonged to adults. Mothers
accounted for 31 percent, while grandparents accounted for 38 percent.
“You have some grandparents who have their whole pharmacy on the
kitchen counter or the bathroom counter, and it is there for the
taking,” Salvador Baeza, a pharmacist who directs the West Texas
Regional Poison Center in El Paso, told the newspaper.
Safe Kids advises parents and other caregivers to store medications
out of sight and out of reach. SafeKids CEO Kate Carr recommends that
parents ask grandparents and other relatives to secure medications when
their children are visiting. “That can be an awkward conversation,” Carr
said. “But you can just say that ‘I have a very curious child who is
just at that age where they get into everything.’”
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Heroin Use on the Rise in Southern California
An increasing number of teens and adults in southern
California are using heroin, according to Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) officials.
“Heroin use has become a particular concern for the DEA because we’re
seeing people using heroin at such a young age,” Agent Sarah Pullen
told NBC Los Angeles. High school counselors in Orange County are reporting a rise in heroin use, the article notes.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
reported initiations to heroin have increased by 80 percent among teens
ages 12 to 17. The increase in heroin use is largely attributed to the
drug’s low cost and easy availability, both in southern California and
around the country.
A study published last year
found OxyContin abuse has decreased now that the painkiller has been
reformulated to make it more difficult to misuse. Many people who abused
the drug have switched to heroin.
The study included more than 2,500 people who were dependent on
opioids, who were followed between July 2009 and March 2012. During that
time, there was a 17 percent decrease in OxyContin abuse. In 2010, the
company that makes OxyContin introduced a new version of the drug that
is more difficult to inhale or inject.
Anesthesia Abuse Increases Among Health Care Professionals, Study Suggests
Abuse of the anesthesia drug propofol is on the rise among
health care professionals who have easy access to it, a new study
suggests.
The study found the number of health care professionals treated for abuse of the drug has increased steadily, the Star Tribune reports. Most of these professionals began using propofol to get to sleep, and quickly became addicted.
Propofol is used for surgery and other procedures. It takes effect
quickly, and has a fast recovery time, with fewer side effects than
other anesthetics, the article notes. The researchers state in a news release, “Propofol addiction is a virulent and debilitating form of substance dependence” with a “rapid downhill course.”
They studied data from an addiction center specializing in substance
abuse among health care professionals, and found 22 patients treated for
propofol abuse between 1990 and 2010. They included doctors, nurses and
a dentist. Most of the doctors and all of the nurses were anesthesia
providers. Most of them had depression, in addition to a history of
childhood sexual or physical abuse. A higher than expected number of
patients had family members with schizophrenia.
Most of the patients began addiction treatment within a few months
after starting to use the drug; five sought treatment after just one
propofol binge. About half of patients started treatment after a
dramatic event, such as a motor vehicle accident. Some patients received
facial injuries after passing out from propofol.
The study will appear in the April issue of the Journal of Addiction Medicine.
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Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Middle School Dating Linked to Increased Substance Use in New Study
Middle school students who date report using twice as much
alcohol, tobacco and marijuana, compared with their classmates without
romantic relationships, a new study finds.
Students who date in middle school also have significantly worse
study skills, and are four times more likely to drop out of school,
compared with their single classmates, Science Daily reports.
Researchers at the University of Georgia studied 624 students over
seven years, starting when they were in sixth grade. Each year, the
students completed a survey that asked about dating, substance use and
other behaviors. The study looked at the students’ high school dropout
rates, and annual teacher-rated study skills.
Study author Pamela Orpinas noted in a news release that the study suggests “dating should not be considered a rite of passage in middle school.”
The researchers reported their findings in the Journal of Research on Adolescence.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Recreational Marijuana Use Violates International Law, UN Body Says
The recreational use of marijuana is a violation of
international law, the United Nations International Narcotics Control
Board (INCB) warned the United States this week.
Raymond Yans, president of the INCB, spoke about new laws in Colorado
and Washington that legalize the recreational use of marijuana, at the
U.N. Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna. He noted U.S. Attorney
General Eric Holder said in December that, regardless of any changes in
state law, growing, selling or possessing any amount of marijuana
remains illegal under federal law. Yan called this “good, but
insufficient,” Reuters reports.
He added the United States has an obligation to ensure the
implementation of international drug control treaties throughout the
country. Recreational marijuana use violates the U.N. Single Convention
on Narcotic Drugs of 1961, Yan said.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Medical Group Warns Against Giving Attention Drugs to Healthy Teens
Healthy children and teenagers should not be given drugs
designed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, the American
Academy of Neurology said this week. While young people with the
disorder benefit from the treatment, the group noted, a growing number
of healthy young people are taking these medications in an effort to
increase concentration and school performance.
“Doctors caring for children and teens have a professional obligation
to always protect the best interests of the child, to protect
vulnerable populations, and prevent the misuse of medication,” said
position statement author William Graf, M.D. of Yale University, in a news release. “The practice of prescribing these drugs, called neuroenhancements, for healthy students is not justifiable.”
The statement
concludes there are both legal and developmental reasons these
medications should not be prescribed to healthy children and teens, Reuters
reports. The long-term effects of these drugs have not been studied in
children, the group notes. Children and teens may not have sufficient
decision-making abilities while their cognitive skills and emotional
abilities are still developing. In addition, children and teens face the
risks of being over-medicated and dependent on the drugs, according to
the statement.
“The physician should talk to the child about the request, as it may
reflect other medical, social or psychological motivations such as
anxiety, depression or insomnia. There are alternatives to
neuroenhancements available, including maintaining good sleep,
nutrition, study habits and exercise regimens,” Dr. Graf said.
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