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Does treatment for ADHD lead teens to drug, alcohol abuse?

Do stimulants used to treat adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder serve as a gateway drug, opening them up to smoking and drug abuse in later years?

Some studies say they do.

A new study released this week in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine shows that adolescent girls least treated with the drugs are less likely to take up smoking or fall into drug and alcohol abuse. Another previous study showed a similar result for boys.

Two authors of the study, doctors Timothy E. Wilens and Joseph Biederman of the Harvard Medical School have been recently accused by U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, of failing to report $1.6 million in payments from drug companies from 2000 to 2007. Both men denied doing anything wrong. They disclosed financial payments in the most recent study, including payments from companies that make ADHD drugs.

Subjects for the study, 262 females aged 6-18 years were refered by clinics and the protocol for the study was approved by Massachusetts General Hospital.

More than half the girls had had ADHD and were taking medication. The other 120 did not have the condition. The girls received evaluations over five years. The study concluded that stimulant therapy does not increase, but rather reduces the risk for cigarette smoking and substance abuse.

 

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