ADDERALL SAFER THAN ASPIRIN

Sep 10, 2007

TARPON SPRINGS, FL 08/07/07

ADDERALL AND OTHER PRESCRIPTION PSYCHOSTIMULANTS ARE AT LEAST FIFTEEN

TIMES LESS DEADLY THAN ASPIRIN, ADVIL, ALEVE AND OTHER NON STEROIDAL ANTI
INFLAMMATORY DRUGS.

“Adderall and other psychostimulant medications are far safer than Aspirin and other Non
Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs, (NSAIDS) used to treat pain. Psychostimulant treatment of
unmedicated Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder reduces substance abuse and could
possibly prevent thousands of deaths annually, in the United States,” explains Marvin (Rick)
Sponaugle, MD, Medical Director and Founder, of Florida Detox. Dr. Sponaugle is Board
Certified in Addiction Medicine and Anesthesiology.

About 2.5 million children and teens take ADHD medications, which help children and adults
focus and control restlessness and fidgeting. An estimated 1 million adults also take prescription
psychostimulant medications. ADHD continues into adulthood, in 68 % of children diagnosed
with ADHD, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health. Between 1999 and 2003, 25
people had died suddenly, and 54 suffered serious cardiac events such as a stroke, heart
attack, hypertension or arrhythmia, while taking psychostimulant medications.

Using these numbers, the probability of a cardiac death, due to psychostimulant medication, is
0.71 per 100,000 patients. The actual probability of a cardiac death, due to a psychostimulant
medication, may be less than 0.71/100,000 patients, since some sources estimate as many as 6
million children were taking Ritalin, in 2000. (Keith Hoeller, "Ritalin Shouldn't Be Forced on Our
Kids," Seattle Times, 8 Mar. 2000, B5.) An FDA review also found less than one case of death
or serious injury per 1 million ADHD prescriptions filled.

Adults comprised 6 of the 25 deaths reported and children accounted for 19 of the 25
psychostimulant medication deaths reported, between 1999 and 2003. Since approximately one
million adults were estimated to be medicated with psychostimulant medication and six deaths
appeared to result, the adult fatality risk would be approximately 0.6/100,000 psychostimulant
patients. Half of the adult deaths occurred in patients with pre-existing hypertension. In adults
without hypertension, the fatality rate was 0.3/100,000 psychostimulant patient.
abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory?id=1596721

The death rate from aspirin or other NSAID-related GI events was 15.3 deaths per 100,000
NSAID users. NSAIDs included over-the-counter and prescription drugs.
Lanas et al, "A Nationwide Study of Mortality Associated with Hospital Admission Due to Severe
Gastrointestinal Events and Those Associated with Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drug Use,"
Amer J Gastroenterology, Aug. 2005; p.1685-1693
www.medpagetoday.com/Gastroenterology/PepticUlcerDisease/tb/1612

Comparing the death risk from Aspirin and other Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs to the
death risk for nonhypertensive adults, using prescription psychostimulant medication reveals
psychostimulant medication is 51 times less deadly than Non Steroidal Antiflammatory Drugs.

Leonard Adler, MD, Director of the Adult ADHD Program at the New York University (NYU)
School of Medicine observed, this disorder causes significant problems for millions of adults, yet
their doctors, including internists and general practitioners, often miss it. Daniel Amen, MD, in
Healing ADD, reports 52 percent of untreated children and adults with Attention Deficit Disorder
abuse alcohol or drugs. A study performed by Harvard Medical School, Harvard School of
Public Health and Massachusetts General Hospital found psychostimulant medication reduced
the risk of substance abuse by 85%, in a study of males with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD). Decreased substance abuse occurred, in the medicated ADHD group,
compared to the non-medicated ADHD group, for each abused substance studied. Joseph
Biederman, MD, et. al., Pharmacotherapy of Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Reduces
Risk for Substance Use Disorder PEDIATRICS Vol. 104 No. 2 August 1999, p. e20 (This article
is available in PDF format, at pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/104/2/e20)

Substance abuse causes over 100,000 deaths, annually, in the United States. The Centers for
Disease Control determined 85,000 people die from alcohol-related deaths every year, not just
in car wrecks, but from falls, drownings, violence and health problems. The Journal of the
American Medical Association reports 17,000 deaths, caused by illicit drug use, in 2000. "Actual
Causes of Death in the United States, 2000,"

“Since about half of substance abusers suffer from untreated Attention Deficit Disorders and
psychostimulant treatment of untreated Attention Deficit Disorders has been shown to reduce
substance abuse 85 percent, increased psychostimulant treatment of Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder could possibly prevent thousands of substance abuse deaths, annually.
Adderall and Ritalin are much safer medications, than many nonprescription over-the counter
pain killers,” concludes Dr. Sponaugle.

Florida Detox has successfully treated over 4000 chemically dependent patients, providing a
more scientific, less painful and effective road to recovery than most traditional detox programs.
Florida Detox provides rapid detox for opiates, including Vicodin, Oxycontin, Percocet, Lortab,
Norco , and Methadone. Florida Detox also provides medical detox for alcohol, Xanax, Klonopin
and Valium. At least half of Florida Detox patients were suffering from undiagnosed or
inadequately treated Attention Deficit Disorders. For more information see
www.floridadetox.com or call Florida Detox at 1-888-775-2770.