Pubdate: Tue, 22 Feb 2000 Source: Denver Post (CO) Copyright: 2000 The Denver Post Contact: 1560 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202 Fax: (303) 820.1502 Website: http://www.denverpost.com/ Forum: http://www.denverpost.com/voice/voice.htm Author: Michael Riversong REVIEW KIDS' DRUGS IN PARENTAL KILLINGS Your group of articles in the Sunday, Feb. 13 Denver Post, detailing several cases of children killing their parents, was fascinating. There are many motivations for reading such articles. Mine is to see if there are any ways to prevent further repeats of these incidents, in my capacity as a religious volunteer. Several details of the incidents were brought out in these articles that had previously been held back as confidential data. However, one set of data was obviously and consistently missing from these articles. That is, what drugs were these children taking? It is now known that several psychiatric drugs commonly prescribed to troubled children have been prominent factors in violent incidents in many parts of the United States. That was certainly the case in the Kip Kinkel incident mentioned in one of the articles and in the Columbine massacre. We need to know more about this factor, as it is a troubling possible cause or contributor to child violence. Several drugs are known to create deep obsessional states. Naturally, since the manufacturers of these drugs contribute greatly to advertising revenue, it is understandable that many publications could be reluctant to bring out the facts in this regard. I now humbly request that The Denver Post overcome this reluctance, as a service to our community, and to assist in the prevention of future violent incidents. Michael Riversong, Wheat Ridge - --- MAP posted-by: Allan Wilkinson