4th and Goal Commentary - April 19, 2001
Flying High
By Bill McCartney
"It's as easy to get as candy," says a 15-year-old in a drug rehab
program. And, just what has her hooked may surprise you.
I'm Bill McCartney... It's 4TH and Goal!
Ritalin, which helps calm some kids with Attention Deficit Disorder,
is now the drug of choice for young abusers. They purchase the stuff
from kids who should be taking their medicine but instead are selling on
the side for a little extra cash.
About 2 million Americans are on the drug, Ritalin. This is
an eight-fold increase from just a decade ago. And most on the medication
are kids. Ritalin can calm people with A.D.D.. But, its chemical
composition acts as a stimulant for most people. Actually, Methylphenidate,
as it's also called, produces a caffeine-like shock to the system.
This high, similar to that of cocaine, is what teens are after.
The pills come in many colors, blue, white and yellow, and have been
nicknamed "Skittles" because they look like the popular candy. These
small pills sell for one to five dollars a piece and can be found in school
hallways, lockers and bathrooms.
Unlike illegal substances, Ritalin is easily purchased from that
clean-scrubbed kid next door. And many of these young salespeople
come from upstanding homes like ours.
One problem with this twisted trade is that young people who need
their medicine aren't receiving their treatment. If our children
must take the medicine, then we're responsible for discussing the dangers
of abusing Ritalin or giving or selling it to others.
Let's open up and tackle this topic with them. And, we've got
to monitor their daily medicine. Make sure they're swallowing the
pill. If their next dose is kept at the nurse's office, ask for assurance
that the dosage is being monitored.
Men, there's a difficult balance between trusting your kids and putting
them on the alert to dangers around them. This is especially true
when we're providing our kids with prescription drugs. Accountability
applies to every aspect of life. Let's teach our kids to responsibly
care for their health.
I'm Coach Bill McCartney.
Source Material: "Teens are using Ritalin to get high,"
yourhealthdaily, 10/31/00; "College students using Ritalin to study, get
high," Drug Use Trends, 2/98; "Study finds Ritalin causes similar high
in brain as cocaine," Arch General Psychiatry, Vol. 52, June 1995; "Ritalin:
The New Teen High," Good Housekeeping, May 1996; "New study on drug's
illicit use sparks concern," FamilyEducation.com 1999.
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4th and Goal - Coaching for Life's Tough Calls, with Bill McCartney,
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