Australian Judge Concerned Over Ritalin Crimes

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A New South Wale Judge has voiced his concerns over Ritalin prescriptions after he claims to be loosing count of ADHD offenders.

Judge Paul Conlon told The Daily Telegraph newspaper that general practitioners and psychiatrists are diagnosing young children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder far too readily, without coming up with other options for behavior disorders.

Judge Conlon says he has been sentencing many youths to time behind bars because of violent acts they are committing while taking Ritalin.

He said, "I have huge concerns. The tide of cases is amazing. I am starting to lose count of (the number of) offenders coming before the courts who were diagnosed at a very young age with ADHD for which they were 'medicated'."

The number of ADHD cases has reached the hundreds of thousands, with 264,000 prescriptions for Ritalin being written out in 2006. The number is staggering compared with just 11,114 in 1992.

Judge Conlon continued, "My own research indicates that ADHD is perhaps the most over-diagnosed condition in today's society. If that is correct, do we really know what are the long-term effects of those drugs and chemicals on the mental health of those young persons so diagnosed?"

A psychiatrist, Dr Yolande Lucire, who spoke in one of Judge Conlon's recent cases, says that many people who have been given Ritalin have other disorders as they get older.

Dr Lucire told the court, "We know (Ritalin) causes brain injury and permanent personality change."

Judge Conlon and Dr Lucire also listed cases of ADHD diagnosed patients feeling suicidal while on Ritalin and others who developed an addiction to illegal methamphetamines.

A 20-year-old man was recently sentenced to 15 months in jail after committing assault and an act of indecency while under the influence of Ritalin.