The Drugging of our Children 2005
Distributed by Gary Null & Associates, 2307 Broadway, New York, NY 10024; 646-505-4660
Produced by Manette Loudon, David Chmura
Director n/a
DVD, color, 104 min.
Sr. High - Adult
Adolescence, Bioethics, Child Development, Health Sciences, Psychology
Date Entered: 09/29/2006
Reviewed by Nicole Cooke, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJDelivering a disturbing, but important message, The Drugging of Our Children is a powerful and enlightening documentary. In today’s society, children are quick to be labeled with behavioral disorders, most commonly ADD and ADHD, and plied with medication such as Ritalin. But not always addressed are the side effects of these drugs, the possibility of addition, and the creation of new problems and disorders. And perhaps most egregious is the fact that many children do not really have ADHD and do not need medication.
Drugging provides ample case studies, including children suffering with allergies, learning disorders and boredom, who were misdiagnosed and given powerful drugs they did not need. Ritalin, Prozac and other such drugs are being over prescribed, with no shortage of pressure from the pharmaceutical industry, and these children are hallucinating, suffering manic and depressive episodes, blacking out and even becoming violent. It is claimed that Eric Harris, one of the Columbine shooters, was taking a medication similar to Prozac at the time of his death. The documentary also profiles a mother who lost her child to protective services because she refused to improperly medicate her son. The featured testimonies are truly frightening, and while Drugging does not provide easy or obvious answers, it does provide an enormous amount of awareness.
The documentary is not especially hi-tech or polished in its delivery, and could really get its message across in less than 104 minutes. The technical components of this documentary are average, not quite matching the quality of the content, and the film’s audio and visual editing are also of decent quality. Drugging is enlightening and should be shared widely with parents, education and medical professionals. Drugging is recommended, and is best suited for patient education and consumer health collections, and collections in school or public libraries dedicated to parenting.
Awards
- 2006 Sedona International Film Festival, Finalist, Best Documentary
- 2005 WorldFest Houston International Film Festival, Winner, Best Documentary, Platinum Award
- Key West IndieFest, Winner, Best Documentary
- New York Film Festival, Finalist, Best Documentary
- Winnipeg International Film Festival, Finalist, Best Documentary
- Palm Beach International Film Festival, Finalist, Best Documentary
- Golden Film Festival, Finalist
- San Francisco World Film Festival, Finalist, Best Documentary
- ARPA International Film Festival, Finalist, Best Documentary