Right now, your child or grandchild might be taking a substance that could label him a drug user for the rest of his life. And chances are the people who are supposed to be protecting him - his doctors, teachers, and parents - are the ones giving it to him. I'm talking about the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) "wonder drug," Ritalin.

It is not generally known that Ritalin is classified as a schedule II controlled substance, along with morphine, cocaine, and other narcotics and amphetamines. If you wonder why Ritalin, a drug given to millions of children, is considered dangerous enough to be classified with the schedule II narcotics, consider some of the consequences of taking this drug, which include heart attacks, growth problems, psychosis, blood disorders and even death.

Diagnoses of ADHD have skyrocketed over the last five years, despite the fact that there is no known cause of this condition. Many people question whether it even exists. In fact, the law firm of Waters & Kraus filed a class action suit a few years ago suggesting the manufacturers of Ritalin invented the disorder to boost sales. Despite compelling evidence, the initial trial dismissed these complaints, but Waters & Kraus is preparing an appeal.

We must work to criminalize the dispensing of these drugs by teachers and psychiatrists, if they do so without the express consent and the full understanding of the parents.

For additional information on the effects of Ritalin, read "Talking Back to Ritalin" by Peter R. Breggin, M.D. It's available in most bookstores, as well as on-line from amazon.com.