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NEWS ... GLOBAL NEWS ... effects on human health and the THINK RITALIN IS SAFE? environment often aren't raised until years READ WHAT NOVARTIS SAYS ABOUT ITS OWN PRODUCT! after a chemical has been introduced to the by Joel Bainerman marketplace. Documents have been found detailing how DuPont scientists started warning company executives to avoid human con- tact with PFOA as early as 1961. Industry tests later determined that the chemical accumulates in the body, doesn't break down in the environment and causes ail- ments in animals, including cancer, liver ADD/ADHD and recommends that you give your child Ritalin each morning before school in order to counter the negative effects of ADD/ADHD, then you should be aware of all the facts surrounding Ritalin. Instead of taking the advice of your doctor or anyone else as to whether Ritalin is safe, simply read the packaging label that Novartis puts inside each box of Ritalin. I did, and this is what it says: Ritalin is a mild central nervous system stimulant. The mode of action in man is not completely understood, but Ritalin presumably activates the brain stem arousal system L your child's doctor or a child psychiatrist diagnoses your child as suffering from damage and birth defects. : and cortex to produce its stimulant effect. There is neither specific evidence which clearly (Source: by Michael Hawthorne, Chicago _ | establishes the mechanism whereby Ritalin produces its mental and behavioral effects in Tribune, January 18, 2005) children, nor conclusive evidence regarding how these effects relate to the condition of the central nervous system. US DEVELOPING WEAPON TO Sufficient data on safety and efficacy of long-term use of Ritalin in children are not yet INDUCE PAIN FROM A DISTANCE available. Although a causal relationship has not been established, suppression of growth lhe US military is developing a weapon | (i.e., weight gain, and/or height) has been reported with the long-term use of stimulants in that delivers extreme pain from a dis- children. tance, for use against protesters and rioters. Clinical experience suggests that in psychotic children, administration of Ritalin may Documents released under the US exacerbate symptoms of behavior disturbance and thought disorder. Safe concomitant use Freedom of Information Act show that sci- _ | of anticonvulsants and Ritalin has not been established. entists have received funding to investigate Use cautiously in patients with hypertension. Blood pressure should be monitored at how much pain can be induced in individu- | appropriate intervals in all patients taking Ritalin, especially those with hypertension. als hit by laser-created electromagnetic Human pharmacologic studies have shown that Ritalin may inhibit the metabolism of pulses without killing them. coumarin anticoagulants, anticonvulsants (phenobarbital, diphenylhydantoin, primidone), Due to be ready for use in 2007, the phenylbutazone, and tricyclic drugs (imipramine, clomipramine, desipramine). The safety Pulsed Energy Projectile weapon is of using methylphenidate in combination with clonidine or other centrally acting alpha-2 designed to trigger extreme pain from a agonists has not been systemically evaluated. distance of one-and-a-quarter miles. It The instructions for use on the package then state: fires a laser pulse that generates a burst of Ritalin should be given cautiously to emotionally unstable patients, such as those with a expanding plasma—electrically charged _ | history of drug dependence or alcoholism, because such patients may increase dosage on their own initiative. Chronically abusive use can lead to marked tolerance and psychic dependence with varying degrees of abnormal behavior. Frank psychotic episodes can occur. Careful supervision is required during drug withdrawal, since severe depression as well as the effects of chronic overactivity can be unmasked. Long-term follow-up may be required because of the patient's basic personality disturbances. Patients with an element of agita - ARCTIC OZONE WIPED OUT tion may react adversely. Prescription should not depend solely on the presence of one or BY SOLAR STORMS more of the behavioral characteristics. When these symptoms are associated with acute stress reactions, treatment with Ritalin is usually not indicated. Long-term effects of Ritalin in children have not been well established. Here is what Novartis admits are the known side-effects that can occur from the first day the drug is consumed: Nervousness and insomnia are the most common adverse reactions but are usually con - trolled by reducing dosage and omitting the drug in the afternoon or evening. Other reac + tions include hypersensitivity (including skin rash, urticaria, fever, arthralgia, exfoliative dermatitis, erythema multiforme with histopathological findings of necrotizing vasculitis, and thrombocytopenic purpura); anorexia; nausea; dizziness; palpitations; headache; c dyskinesia; drowsiness; blood pressure and pulse changes, both up and down; tachycar - solar storm into the upper atmosphere over | dia; angina; cardiac arrhythmia; abdominal pain; weight loss during prolonged therapy. the poles. The electrons ionised nitrogen Toxic psychosis has been reported. Although a definite causal relationship has not been molecules in that region, and the ions then | established, the following have been reported in patients taking this drug: instances of combined with oxygen to form nitrogen abnormal liver function, ranging from transaminase elevation to hepatic coma; isolated oxides—levels of which rose dramatically | cases of cerebral arteritis and/or occlusion; leukopenia and/or anemia; transient towards the end of 2003. These molecules | depressed mood; a few instances of scalp hair loss. In children, loss of appetite, abdomi 4 were sucked down into the stratosphere by _| nal pain, weight loss during prolonged therapy, insomnia, and tachycardia may occur polar vortex winds, where each one ripped | more frequently; however, any of the other adverse reactions listed above may also occur. apart hundreds of ozone molecules. (Source: Joel Bainerman, February 18, 2005, isratech@netvision.net.il. Joel is a parent (Source: New Scientist, 12 March 2005) who recently took his child off Ritalin after learning of the potential dangers of the drug.) gas—when it hits something solid. Tests on animals showed it produced "pain and temporary paralysis". (Source: by Nic Fleming, The Telegraph, March 3, 2005, http:/www.telegraph.co.uk) igantic solar storms destroyed nearly 60 per cent of the ozone above the Arctic during the spring of 2004. Data col- lected from seven satellites showed that a record barrage of charged particles from the Sun in October and November 2003 destroyed large amounts of ozone. It started when Earth's magnetic field funnelled some of the electrons from the effects on human health and the environment often aren't raised until years after a chemical has been introduced to the marketplace. Documents have been found detailing how DuPont scientists started warning company executives to avoid human con- tact with PFOA as early as 1961. Industry tests later determined that the chemical accumulates in the body, doesn't break down in the environment and causes ail- ments in animals, including cancer, liver damage and birth defects. (Source: by Michael Hawthorne, Chicago Tribune, January 18, 2005) US DEVELOPING WEAPON TO INDUCE PAIN FROM A DISTANCE lhe US military is developing a weapon that delivers extreme pain from a dis- tance, for use against protesters and rioters. Documents released under the US Freedom of Information Act show that sci- entists have received funding to investigate how much pain can be induced in individu- als hit by laser-created electromagnetic pulses without killing them. Due to be ready for use in 2007, the Pulsed Energy Projectile weapon is designed to trigger extreme pain from a distance of one-and-a-quarter miles. It fires a laser pulse that generates a burst of expanding plasma—electrically charged gas—when it hits something solid. Tests on animals showed it produced "pain and temporary paralysis". (Source: by Nic Fleming, The Telegraph, March 3, 2005, http:/www.telegraph.co.uk) ARCTIC OZONE WIPED OUT BY SOLAR STORMS igantic solar storms destroyed nearly 60 per cent of the ozone above the Arctic during the spring of 2004. Data col- lected from seven satellites showed that a record barrage of charged particles from the Sun in October and November 2003 destroyed large amounts of ozone. It started when Earth's magnetic field funnelled some of the electrons from the solar storm into the upper atmosphere over the poles. The electrons ionised nitrogen molecules in that region, and the ions then combined with oxygen to form nitrogen oxides—levels of which rose dramatically towards the end of 2003. These molecules were sucked down into the stratosphere by polar vortex winds, where each one ripped apart hundreds of ozone molecules. (Source: New Scientist, 12 March 2005) APRIL — MAY 2005 NEXUS +9 www.nexusmagazine.com