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Ritalin Acts Much Like Cocaine

The August 22, 2001 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that researchers have found that the drug Ritalin, used in children with the so-called disorder ADD/ADHD, has a more potent effect on the brain than cocaine.

The research was done at Brookhaven National Laboratory in Upton, New York. The study used brain imaging to discover that Ritalin, which has the same chemical profile as cocaine, occupied more of the receptor sites in the brain responsible for the cocaine “high” than cocaine itself did.

Cocaine is known to occupy about 50% of the receptor sites available. This study found that Ritalin blocks 20% more sites than cocaine. Lead researcher Dr. Nora Volkow said, “the data clearly show the notion that Ritalin is a weak stimulant is completely incorrect.”

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