On The Front Lines
John Whitehead to Speak About The Harm to Children from Unwarranted Drugging at Candlelight Vigil for 7-Year-Old Suicide Victim
CLEARWATER, Fla.— Constitutional attorney and author John W. Whitehead will address the public about the harm to children from unwarranted drugging during the annual statewide Gabriel Meyers candlelight vigil and Children’s March in Clearwater, Florida on April 16, 2012. Gabriel Meyers died on April 16, 2009, having apparently hung himself in the shower of his foster parents’ home. An autopsy report revealed that there were several psychotropic drugs in his blood that have been associated with an increased risk of suicide.
Whitehead’s speech, entitled “The 1963 Children’s March: How We Can Free Our Children,” will address the dangers of raising up a generation of institutionalized children who have been subjected to overreaching zero tolerance policies, heightened security and surveillance and a greater emphasis on conformity and behavior-controlling drugs.
“Children are in greater physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual danger now than at any other time during the life of this nation, and the threat is coming from all sides,” said Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. “Over-prescription of psychotropic drugs is one of the most severe issues plaguing America’s children today, especially within foster homes and residential treatment centers. However, young people are also the victims of dysfunctional families that fail to nurture children, religious institutions lacking in moral leadership, communications technology that has contributed to an insulated and isolated society, an onslaught of entertainment media that pacifies young people, and a corporate culture that views young people as the means to a greater profit margin.”
In 2009, the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) Secretary George H. Sheldon established a work group to determine the facts and circumstances surrounding the tragic death of 7-year-old Gabriel Myers. Gabriel died on April 16, 2009, when police indicated he had apparently hanged himself in the shower of his foster parents’ Margate home. A work group was subsequently formed to carry out a full inquiry into the facts of the case, in light of case management and judicial decisions, as well as determine the contributing effects of psychotropic drugs and sexual abuse. The term “psychotropic” refers to an assortment of chemical substances that act on the brain to alter consciousness, mood, behavior or perception; these substances include those used for recreational purposes (including alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, etc.) and a broad range of therapeutic purposes (psychotherapeutic, anesthesia, pain control, etc.). The term "psychotherapeutic" refers to medications prescribed for the management of mental and emotional disorders. It also specifically defines the group of agents that this section encompasses (antidepressants, antipsychotics, lithium and anticonvulsant mood stabilizers; stimulants and other ADHD drugs; and sedative-hypnotics). According to the work group’s report, some 5% of all children nationally are treated with psychotropic medications. In Florida’s foster care system, 15.2% of its children receive at least one such medication, according to a report dated August 14, 2009. It is often asserted that psychotropic medications in the general population of children are sometimes being used to help parents, teachers and other caregivers to calm and manage, rather than treat children.
