Posted by Anthony Quest on May 4, 2004, at 2:22:07
In reply to Re: question re: meds for adult ADD?-Q for Chemist » Anthony Quest, posted by chemist on May 4, 2004, at 1:06:57
I wasn't intending to annoy you. I don't argue that methamphetamine is abused and it the addiction of many. One of my best friends got addicted to crystal meth many years ago so I know how wicked the addiction is. I also know that the drug itself doesn't really cause the kind of withdrawal that other highly addicting drugs do - at least not physically. I was curious why if the physical withdrawal is not recognized as being so difficult that it is so hard for people to stop. It is crystal meth or is the behavior the abuse or addiction enables. Little of this applies to patients using it for narcolepsy.
If you want me to believe that large numbers of people who use the drug medically are becoming addicted to it - which as you know has a specific medical meaning - stating that lots of sources document it as a drug of abuse is irrelevant or at least falls very short of proving your point. You may well be right, but I will do further research on my own.
PArtyl why I make this point is the following:
People argue we should ban Oxycontin or various other widely abused drugs because they are "so addictive". I don't mean to imply that you argue that. I don't think you've said anything of the sort.
But anytime I hear someone make the argument that because a drug is widely abused those who might need it for medical purposes shouldn't have it, I get very worried. It's (1) not science and if we are making medical decisions on public opinion or emotions or press reports lets not pretend its science (2) unfair to those patients who need that drug.
I don't know if a single person in the entire United States need Desoxyn. I would be willing to be there are people who have tried every stimulant with little effect and get some relief from Desoxyn and only that. For that reason alone it should be kept legal. But maybe I am wrong and it's totally unnecesasry and it should be banned. It is curious if there is so much science that the drug is damaging to the brain, how can it still be permitted as a stimulant when other safer alternatives exist? No one has ever argued the FDA is rational I know.
Also, there is a snowball effect. Making Desoxyn taboo has the result of making Dexedrine the next target. "Why do we need Dexedrine, can't they take Adderall, so many other alternative, so many people abuse dexedrine".You might not make those arguments but plenty would.
Any studies of abuse or addiction in medical use of Desoxyn would very helpful to those studying crystal meth addiction. Demonizing a drug as "addictive" is hardly ever true. Addiction is principally a behavioral disorder, while the pharmocological action of a drug is a very important factor, the main one, it's not the only one.
poster:Anthony Quest
thread:339575
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040429/msgs/343089.html