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ADHD and Cannabis
A great many young adults diagnosed with ADHD report using cannabis to treat symptoms.
by Peter Kershaw, contributing writer
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder( ADHD) is most commonly associated with children, and symptoms often lessen during adolescence but, in some cases, carry over into adulthood. A majority of the medical establishment considers ADHD a well-settled science. But it is hardly that. The diagnosis is ambiguous and controversial. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition( DSM-V) indicates that ADHD is a“ neurodevelopmental disorder,” with a prevalence rate in the U. S. of around 5 % in children and 2.5 % in adults. 1 Some have argued that though the diagnosis of ADD( Attention Deficit Disorder) has only existed since 1980( DSM-III, later revised to ADHD in 1994 with DSM-IV), symptoms consistent with it may date back much earlier. 2 Others allege such claims are unfounded and that ADHD is a recent invention rather than a discovery.
Controversy around ADHD abounds and has existed for many years, particularly since the 1980s craze( rising sharply in the 1990s) of treating ADHD with mind-altering drugs. Of special note are those parents who’ ve become skeptical about whether the medical establishment is taking advantage of them and their children. This includes risks of rush-to-judgment over diagnosis, as well as concerns over administering stimulant pharmaceuticals( e. g., Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine, etc.) and other mind-altering drugs to young, developing brains— drugs that may not even be entirely safe for adults.
ADHD symptoms may include:
● Squirming or fidgeting
● Daydreaming
● Intense mood swings
● Forgetting or losing things
● Talking too much, Trouble taking turns
● Making careless mistakes
● Taking unnecessary risks
● Getting stress out easily
● Hard time resisting temptation
● Difficulty getting along with others
There are three ADHD subtypes:
● Predominantly inattentive type
● Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type
● Combined type
Before the 1980s, these behaviors— particularly in boys, who tend to exhibit such symptoms more commonly than girls— were often regarded as,“ He’ s just going through a phase. He’ ll grow out of it. He just needs more time on the playground to burn off all that nervous energy.” This was commonly accepted because children, in the majority of cases, did grow out of behaviors that today are routinely diagnosed as ADHD.
Since the 1980s, countless parents have faced intense pressure when their child’ s public school teacher, school counselor, or others confront them with,“ Little Timmy is a discipline problem. He daydreams a lot, disrupts the class, and is inattentive. We believe he may have ADHD and needs help. We’ d like to have him / her professionally diagnosed and treated.” Submitting their child to“ professional help” will almost inevitably result in putting them on mind-altering drugs. Little Timmy’ s behavior will certainly change— brought into line with what the teacher considers“ manageable.” In too many cases, the drugs primarily benefit the teacher rather than the student. The teacher is happy with the results, but is Timmy?
What Timmy experiences on these mind-altering drugs isn’ t normal for him at all. These drugs may also have long-term adverse implications for his developing brain. Drugging school kids has become the norm, but it wasn’ t always this way. Are kids better off today than they were before this modern craze of drugging kids? It seems perfectly reasonable to raise such questions. Yet, doing so challenges what has become the status quo and is likely to result in a parent being belittled for raising them.
Some schools will go so far as to threaten parents with their child’ s expulsion should they refuse to medicate them. Even if they agree to the drugs, their child is still likely to be stigmatized with“ special ed” classes and riding the“ short bus” to school. Kids diagnosed with ADHD are seldom“ slow” or“ stupid.” In many cases, they’ re extremely bright and creative. Such kids often find themselves bored and easily distracted by the tedium of the public school classroom. What Timmy might need isn’ t drugs but an environment where he can explore and discover his natural talents and be celebrated for them.
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20 April 2025