Incoming NRA President Oliver North Claims Ritalin Is To Blame For School Shootings

Incoming NRA President Oliver North Claims Ritalin Is To Blame For School Shootings

In the wake of another horrific school shooting, pro-gun lawmakers and media figures have again tried to claim the problem isn’t firearms or gun laws. We’ve seen Texas’s lieutenant governor say schools should only have one or two exits. Fox News’ Sean Hannity believes all students’ social media accounts should be under constant surveillance.

In that vein, incoming NRA President Oliver North — yes, the Iran-Contra guy who spent the past few years on Fox News — appeared on Fox News Sunday and suggested that drugs given to children to treat ADHD are what has caused a rise in mass school shootings over the years.

After repeating some of the other pro-gun talking points about the need to “harden” soft targets like schools and increasing metal detectors, North told host Chris Wallace that the “disease is youngsters who are steeped in a culture of violence.”

“They’ve been drugged in many cases,” North stated. “Nearly all of these perpetrators are male and they’re young teenagers in most cases.”

He added, “Many of these young boys have been on Ritalin since they were in kindergarten. Now I’m certainly not a doctor, I’m a Marine, but I can see those kinds of things happening and endangering those two gals.”

Needless to say, folks on Twitter had a LOT to say about this claim, which is something that’s been floating around in Scientology and far-right circles for years now.

Watch the clip below, via Fox News:

Justin Baragona

Justin Baragona is the founder/publisher of Contemptor and a contributor to The Daily Beast. He was previously the Cable News Correspondent for Mediaite and prior to starting Contemptor, he worked on the editorial staff of PoliticusUSA. During that time, he had his work quoted by USA Today and BBC News, among others. Justin began his published career as a political writer for 411Mania. He resides in St. Louis, MO with his wife and pets.

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