SCHOOL SHOOTINGS AND ANTI-DEPRESSANTS

Early day motion 226, tabled 13 November 2007 by Paul Flynn (Labour). Signed by 18 members.

That this House is horrified at the recent increase in school shootings; is puzzled that the English language media failed to mention that in the Finnish tragedies, Mr Pekka-Eric Auvinen said that he 'ate SSRI anti-depressants' which, he said, made him feel 'aggressive'; notes that the perpetrators of 28 other school shootings, including at Columbine and in Minnesota, were also on anti-depressants; notes that anti-depressants, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), have been proved to both sweep away self-regulating internal inhibitions while triggering explosive acts of violence and murderous behaviour; and calls for a study of the links between SSRI use and almost all school shootings and a rethink on the wisdom of the mass prescribing of anti-depressants to young people.

Signatures by party: Labour 13, DUP 2, Liberal Democrat 1, Plaid Cymru 1, Social Democratic and Labour Party 1.