Drugs in School

According to a new Lexington Institute study, since the U.S. Department of Education determined that children with ADHD could qualify for special-ed under IDEA in 1991, there has been a 700 percent increase in the use of Ritalin in public schools--with the US consuming 90 percent of the world's supply of the drug.

The report analyzed DEA data on Ritalin distribution for the entire US, using per capita distribution rates that take into account the number of children in every county. Ritalin use varies up to 100-fold across US counties. For example, in Utah less than 3 percent of elementary children use Ritalin. But in Gretchen's home state of Virginia, between 14 and 17 percent of elementary and junior high kids are on the drug.

The study also found no association between Ritalin use in Virginia and educational outcomes at the school-district level.

Maybe Utah has such low rates of Ritalin use because it has so many homeschooled kids. Just a thought . . .