Concerns that psychotropic drugs taken by children can induce violence prompted legislators in New York and Hawaii to introduce bills to monitor their use.

The New York State Psychiatric Association (NYSPA) is opposing the bill (S7028) introduced in March by Senator Owen Johnson, a Republican. The bill calls for setting up an advisory council to explore the effects of psychotropic drugs on children, with an emphasis on the link between using the drugs and violence or suicide.

Johnson asserts in the bill that "there is overwhelming scientific research documenting a connection between violence and suicide and the use of psychotropic drugs."

These are some of the findings mentioned in the bill to support his contention:

• A toxicology report last April revealed that Columbine High School shooter Eric Harris had recently taken Luvox.

• Kip Kinkel "reportedly was taking the psychotropic drugs Prozac and Ritalin" on May 21, 1998, when he killed his parents in Oregon and then shot several classmates, killing two.

• Jeremy Strohmeyer raped and murdered a 7-year-old girl on May 25, 1997, in Las Vegas. He had been diagnosed with ADD and prescribed Dexedrine, which he started taking a week before the killing.

At press time, the bill was before the Senate Finance Committee. NYSPA lobbyist Richard Gallo told Psychiatric News that he didn’t think there would be enough support for the bill to reach the Assembly. "But we are not taking any chances. Several of our members have met with key legislators to express our concerns."

A similar bill in Hawaii, Resolution 112, died in committee last month.