It is Ritalin, the mild stimulant commonly prescribed for young children to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Authorities fear Ritalin is becoming increasingly popular as a recreational drug among teens and pre-teens. ``It's an area of concern,'' said Rogene Waite, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. ``It has the potential for abuse, so we would be looking at that and we'll continue to monitor it.'' Some psychiatrists point …showed first 75 words of 392 total…

…showed last 75 words of 392 total…were just as likely to mention methylphenidate as cocaine in a drug-related emergency room episode. Nearly 75 percent said they had been using the drug for psychic effects or recreation. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., the maker of Ritalin, said in a statement that millions of ADHD patients have been treated safely using the drug. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography** On the Net: Drug Enforcement Administration: http://www.usdoj.gov/dea National Institute on Drug Abuse: http://www.nida.nih.gov