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July 15, 2002

Joel Skousen writes (World Affairs Brief, 5/3/02) that "In another move destined to vastly increase Americans’ use of psychotropic drugs like Ritalin and Prozac, President George Bush has announced his support for the concept of a mandated Mental Health Parity law. Currently, even with huge increases in the use of these drugs, which supposedly suppress hyper, erratic or depressed behavior, there is considerable resistance to their use – mainly because they are not covered by insurance."

YOUR TAXES AND YOUR MEDICAL COSTS WILL RISE

"This type of law would mandate that private insurers accept claims for mental health as well as physical health. Broadly defined, as mental health practitioners demand, mental health can encompass almost anything. It is a Pandora’s box which will lead to huge increases in the cost of insurance, which when passed on to company benefit plans, will undoubtedly leave less money available for legitimate physical ailments. Proponents counter that costs have not risen in states that have passed mental health parity insurance laws on their own – but they fail to mention that this happens because states cut back on other benefit programs in anticipation of the increases in costs due to mental health coverage. Like any other form of broadly defined and distributed benefit, once people learn they can tap professional services (at someone else’s expense) for every emotional and mental aberration they experience, costs will exponentially increase – creating a demand for other draconian legislative edicts later on. …"

A BRAVE NEW WORLD – BUSH’S DRUG WAR ON AMERICA

"Of greater concern to those of [us] who recognize the existence of conscience, is the knowledge that psychotropic drugs suppress that central portion of the brain which picks up the subtle signals of conscience. As a result, people on psychotropic drugs become desensitized to that key source of divine guidance and warning which helps guard against actions and attitudes that lead to mental problems, and which prompts people to do what is right. This desensitization is dangerous to a person’s spiritual health, as spiritual evil can induce increased melancholy and resistance to beneficial change. It is no wonder that there is a high correlation between suicide and the long-term use, or sudden disuse, of these mind-altering drugs. If you or your children are on these drugs, get off of them as soon as possible, being careful to guard against their powerful after-effects. It seems that the only ones fighting this battle on ideological grounds are those parents whose children have been victims of the damaging effects of these drugs – a growing lobby. The rest of us need to get on the bandwagon too."