I too was disappointed by the article. It was good that they raised the issue, however the failure to question the statements of the medical officer was a woeful omission. The evidence for SSRI's (once the pharma companies were forced to release all the data) shows that for the vast majority they are no better than placebo. In those experiencing the most severe depression there is some efficacy. These drugs are not without serious side effects as well. This is well documented and based on the evidence - published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) back in 2010 among many other places. Robert Whitaker is one journalist who has covered this well.

The Chief medical officer of Sovereign sounds like he is quoting from the PR material rather than the scientific literature. Either that or he is 10-15 years out of date!

As I listen to the booms outside while I toil away for a deadline, I was thinking about Russell's/Hamish's question.

We as kids certainly always sought out the most dangerous fireworks/bangers that we could find, taped them together, pointed them at each other etc. It was dangerous,mostly because we knew that if a parent caught us we were in the shit! The idea that someone might get hurt cropped up occasionaly as well.

I wonder if the question is about making us safer at a cost, or whether we are compensating for a cost already paid.
We are definetly trying to make everyone too good for our sake, and I'm sure it is well intentioned. However I wonder what it says about our faith in the children of today, and by proxy our own ability as parents and as a society to 'hold' them, and their behaviour.

The need to legislate is, I believe an indication of failure.