8-1683-4740
Georgia House of Representatives Public Information Office
Room 131, State Capitol 30334 404-656-5082 1-800-282-5800
August 8, 2002
STANLEY LEADING STUDY OF PSYCHIATRIC MEDICATION'S EFFECT ON CHILDREN
Atlanta State Representative LaNett Stanley-Turner, D-Atlanta, has been tapped to chair the Commission on Psychiatric Medication of School-Age Children. She was named to the post by Governor Roy E. Barnes.
According to the resolution creating the Commission, national medical reports indicate that psychiatric drugs are prescribed to between 5 million and 6 million children each year who represent about 10 percent of the total school-age population.
The resolution further states that the International Narcotics Control Board of the World Health Organization has reported the United States is among the leading users of psychiatric drugs and has warned against a national trend to over prescribe stimulants for children.
"We are specifically going to examine whether incidents of school violence could be linked in some way to children being unnecessarily medicated," said Rep. Stanley-Turner. "I look forward to working with fellow commission members as we search for answers to this serious issue."
Rep. Stanley Turner, a lawmaker since 1986, is Secretary of the Rules Committee, Vice-Chair of the Interstate Cooperation Committee and serves on the Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment, Ways and Means, Ethics and Policy committees.
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For further information please contact Rep. Stanley Turner at 404 656-5024.