Pubdate: Wed, 09 May 2001 Source: Powell River Peak (CN BC) Copyright: 2001 Peak Publishing Ltd. Contact: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?brd=1998 Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/734 Author: Leslie Browett CANDIDATE MISLEADS? During an all-candidates meeting aired by Shaw TV Channel 10 on April 28 ["Candidates gather at wire," April 25], Dana Larsen of the Marijuana Party was stating that his political party's agenda was about people being allowed to have the right to choose their own treatments. Marijuana should be legalized so people could use it without being criminally charged. Mr. Larson made a comment regarding the increased use of Ritalin. Where is the missing information? Ritalin is a medication used as a treatment for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). This disorder often manifests itself in poorly regulated behaviour that can infringe on the rights of others. This behaviour pattern is a symptom of the disorder. The root cause of the disorder is a chemical imbalance in the brain. Stimulant medications such as Ritalin increase the levels of chemical activity and help reduce the severity of the symptoms. I once had a parent ask me about using marijuana on her child to tone down the hyperactive impulsive behavior because it is "organic." Is smoking a healthier alternative for kids? Let's compare the symptoms of ADD with the side effects of chronic use of marijuana. ADDers have trouble staying motivated to finish uninteresting tasks. Chronic use of marijuana decreases motivation. ADDers are usually developmentally delayed and are behind same-age peers by three or more years. Chronic use of marijuana arrests personal growth which is why users in their 30s and 40s act more like teenagers. ADDers have poor short-term memory, as do long-term users of marijuana. Marijuana would appear to exacerbate the symptoms of ADD, making it a poor remedy. Ritalin has some undesirable side effects but they pale in comparison to the social rejection and innuendo the kids and their families endure. As a prescribed drug, it is not life threatening nor addictive. My child used it for five years. I have known people who are addicted to marijuana. The Church of Scientology allegedly has been largely responsible for the negative propaganda of Ritalin. They became a church for taxation purposes rather than religious convictions. I attended a provincial conference on ADD in May 2000. Speakers disclosed that the Church of Scientology had been charged and convicted of tampering with the stock market. The stocks they tampered with were Ritalin and Prozac. Marijuana has some medical properties for pain management and stimulating appetite. Leave this to the medical community to investigate. As for Mr. Larsen, your comment about Ritalin was taken out of context and is deliberately suggestive. It is also ignorant, irresponsible, and detrimental. You used Ritalin as a cheap trick to create a lot of smoke. I'm not inhaling. Several years ago my child was given six squares of chocolate which turned out to be Ex-Lax.? I kept this child home from school for a few days because the stimulant medication would compound the effect of the laxative as well as increase hyperactive behavior. The point of this little story is to just use good common sense. Leslie Browett - Marine Avenue - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom