For related articles and more information, please visit OCA’s Health Issues page and our Appetite For a Change page.

According to a 2010 US government survey, 1 in 10 American children now has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-a 22 percent increase from 2003. ADHD makes it hard for children to pay attention and control impulsive behavior.

About two-thirds of the children diagnosed with ADHD are on some form of prescription medication, and according to data recently released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), ADHD drugs such as Ritalin, Vyvanse, Strattera, and Adderall (and their generic equivalents) were responsible for nearly 23,000 emergency room visits in 2011.

This is a more than 400 percent increase in ER visits due to adverse reactions to such drugs in a mere six years! According to the featured article in Forbes Magazine:

“The population group studied was 18-34, but the rise was most dramatic among 18- to 25-year-olds, Federal officials say.

The report, which was published August 8th in The DAWN Report, a SAMSA publication, also warned that heart and blood vessel damage has been linked with ‘nonmedical’ use of the stimulant drugs, based on a 2012 study reported in Brain and Behavior.”

This, I think, should demand the attention of politicians like Senator Durbin, who claims to be oh-so-concerned about the dangers posed by supplements. But no, hypocritical to a fault, Durbin is nowhere to be found when the issue of dangerous drugs come to the fore.