Do Jewish schools in USA have same aproblem as Australian Jewish schools,that buying drugs is the like going to the canteen and getting your lunch
sTRAIGHT | 10.30.05 - 6:03 am | #

Ritalin is dangerous drug with serious side effects - including acting as a gateway drug, which can lead to illegal drug abuse later. It's high time that a prominent Rav who recognizes it's true nature comes out with a psak din banning it. There is already a serious backlash to it's proliferation among enlightened Americans. When will the frum community wake up and not just blindly march along with the pharmaceutical industry and the biased 'research' they subsidize and issue ? Or will it be like with smoking, chas vesholom, when the frum community lags years behind the enlightened general community before they wake up and ban a dangerous substance ? Let's hope we learn from our mistakes with tobacco and act more responsibly with ritalin.
Litvak | 10.30.05 - 11:55 pm | #

The term 'side effects' is a euphemism. There are no 'side' effects since they are all 'effects' of the drug.

Would you give a drug to your child that has the following effects?

Ritalin side effects include but are not limited to:

drug addiction
nervousness and insomnia
loss of appetite
nausea and vomiting
dizziness
headaches
changes in heart rate and blood pressure (usually elevation of both, but occasionally depression)
skin rashes and itching
abdominal pain
weight loss
digestive problems
toxic psychosis
psychotic episodes
severe depression upon withdrawal
loss of appetite (may cause serious malnutrition)
tremors and muscle twitching
fevers, convulsions, and headaches (may be severe)
irregular heartbeat and respiration (may be profound and life threatening)
anxiety, restlessness
paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions
excessive repetition of movements and meaningless tasks
while death due to non-medical use of Ritalin is not common, it has been known to occur.
simchas | 10.31.05 - 12:11 am | #