Originally broadcast as a segment of the television series "Investigative reports".
Summary:
Almost four million American children begin their school day by taking a little yellow pill, Ritalin, to control hyperactivity. Since 1990 use of the drug has increased by 700 percent. Generation RX takes a long hard look at this phenomenon interviewing parents, teachers and doctors who prescribe the medication. Critics contend that children are being drugged and sedated instead of helped to adapt to the many pressures affecting their lives. Supporters say that the medication frees the kids from the pain and confusion caused by attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity and other behavioral problems. One thing is clear: no one really knows what the long-term effect of the drug will be, yet thousands of prescriptions are written every day.
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