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Methylphenidate
Methylphenidate,
a Schedule II substance, has a high potential for abuse and produces many
of the same effects as cocaine or the amphetamines. The abuse of this
substance has been documented among narcotic addicts who dissolve the
tablets in water and inject the mixture. Complications arising from this
practice are common due to the insoluble fillers used in the tablets.
When injected, these materials block small blood vessels, causing serious
damage to the lungs and retina of the eye. Binge use, psychotic episodes,
cardiovascular complications, and severe psychological addiction have
all been associated with methylphenidate abuse.
Methylphenidate is
used legitimately in the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness associated
with narcolepsy, as is the newly marketed Schedule IV stimulant, modafinil
(Provigil®). However; the primary legitimate medical use of methylphenidate
(Ritalin®, Methylin®, Concerta®) is to treat attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. The increased use of
this substance for the treatment of ADHD has paralleled an increase in
its abuse among adolescents and young adults who crush these tablets and
snort the powder to get high. Youngsters have little difficulty obtaining
methylphenidate from classmates or friends who have been prescribed it.
Greater efforts to safeguard this medication at home and school are needed.
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