Academic Doping (ADHD meds)
When it comes to grades, most people will do just about whatever it takes to stay ahead of the curve. From pulling all-nighters to lugging around thick textbooks and stacks of note cards many students will put their health and happiness on the line to make the grade. But while hard work and dedication can go a long way in helping students succeed, sometimes that thirst for straight A’s can lead to much more serious actions. The US in recent years has seen a huge jump in the number of students who are using and abusing prescription drugs, like adderall, to boost their levels of concentration. If you’re a student, chances are you know somewhere or someone to buy adderall from. Student surveys show that more and more of them are confident that they know at least one person they could buy adderall or something similar from. Adderall has not only become more available, however, it has also become de-stigmatized in the eyes of many students—most surveyed will agree that they see it as a study aid, and not as a potentially dangerous drug. For students who regularly pop adderall when they don’t really need it, the repercussions can become very serious in the long run. The following info-graphic examines adderall as a grade-boosting drug, and just how dangerous it can be.
– From 2002 to 2005 pharmacy sales of Adderall went up by over 3,100%.
– Since 2007, ADHD prescriptions to people aged 10 to 19 went up 26%.
– It’s used so much, 96% of pharmacies have suffered from Adderall shortages in the past year.
– More and more students are abusing these meds. Though only 6.4% of college students have prescriptions for Adderall about 1 in 3 students regularly use it illegally, mostly to study or take tests.
– Students under a lot of pressure tend to rely on Adderall the most. About 5 in 10 juniors or seniors in college say they have illegally used Adderall. As do 8 in 10 upperclassman and fraternities or sororities.
– Students who abuse Adderall are: (1) Eight times more likely to abuse prescription tranquilizers. (2) Eight times more likely to use cocaine. (3) Five times more likely to be non medical users of prescription painkillers.
– In fact, Adderall is equal to cocaine in risk of overdose or addiction.
Source: Go to onlinecollege /academic-doping (article not available on line anymore)