ADHD by Anonymous

My son was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of six.  He was prescribed Ritalin, Dexedrine, and Adderal, but not until he was 14 and smoked marijuana did he feel good. 

Then a teacher at school overheard him talking about it and turned it over the counselors.  That is when his life fell apart.  It was almost two years ago.  He had to go to juvenile court, where he told them the truth: that he did smoke pot and that it was the only thing that helped him.  Of course they did not listen.  They put him on probation and he still didn't stop. 

They put my son in a drug rehabilitation center for smoking marijuana with kids who were sent there for crimes and for doing hard drugs.  He came home from rehab June 21, 2003.  Since that time my son has gone to ecstasy because it doesn't show up on a drug test after 1-2 days.  He is a total mess.  He has been in a mental clinic for six days, and most recently they sent my son to a boot camp.  They put him on Strattera, Lexapro and a medicine for anxiety, but they don't want him to use medical marijuana or smoke pot..

The past couple of days he has been really good.  Last night he told me why.   He just couldn't take it any more and smoked again.  Now he faces going back to boot camp.  His life was really good until this all happened.  Why is giving him all kinds of drugs okay?  If I could give him medical marijuana or fight the system to let them treat him with marijuana to give my son a better life, why in God’s name can't they?  He was a straight A student.  He was hyper but now he is a violent out-of-control kid. 

He will be 18 soon..  Will they put him in prison for trying to do what doctors haven’t done since he was six—make e himself feel good?  He doesn't look high, he doesn't act strange.  He is really ok when he smokes.  Maybe I am crazy, but I would rather he took a medical form of marijuana or even be able to smoke it, instead of taking all the medicine they are giving him that doesn't even help.

Please help me; help my son.  I am afraid he will end up killing himself rather than live the way he has been living.