|
Long semesters and long research papers leave some college students turning to drugs for help.
Accounts of off-label prescription medication used to help students study have become common in recent years. These so-called "study drugs" have been gaining prevalence on college campuses across America.
The medication most closely associated with the trend is Adderall.
Originally derived from a weight loss drug in 1996, Adderall is an amphetamine prescribed to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). If used incorrectly, Adderall can lead to addiction. Prolonged use can cause irreparable heart damage and death in extreme cases, according to medical experts.
The exact process by which Adderall affects the brain is unknown.
Michelle Webb, an MSU substance abuse and prevention counselor, said Adderall abuse has been reported at MSU but with relatively low frequency.
"We just completed the Core Survey online, which surveys students' alcohol and drug behavior, and according to that we've got maybe 2 percent of students who are using (study drugs)," Webb said.
Webb said prescriptions for Adderall are difficult for college students to get but the drug is not.
"It's probably as easy to obtain as anything else without a prescription," Webb said. "Maybe a little more so because a friend may have a prescription for it and say 'oh sure, go ahead.'"
Such was the case for one MSU student, who asked that his name not be used for fear of legal action. The student, 20, has a prescription for Adderall and admitted to having distributed pills to friends in the past.
"It's like steroids for school," the student said. "It isn't really very common, but it's common enough that it's noticeable."
The student admitted to abusing Adderall for his own school assignments.
"When I have a big speech or a paper, I use it so I'm prepared," the student said.
He described the reaction to Adderall as providing an incredible sensation of focus.
"You can't multitask, you have to focus on one thing," he said. "Distractions will never distract you. You forget to sleep."
The student said Adderall abuse is seen mostly in males and spikes around the end of each semester.
He said he saw no lasting, negative effects from using Adderall and experienced only a temporary feeling of withdrawal the day immediately following use.
Medical documents provided by Holbrook Drugs described Adderall withdrawal symptoms as having both mental and physical effects, including feelings of anxiousness or unhappiness, dizziness, skin irritation, mood swings and difficulty sleeping.
Though commonly found on campuses, Adderall abuse is not strictly limited to college students.
A Fleming County resident, 20, said he had taken the drug to boost his physical performance on the job.
"I was working at a pallet mill, Johnson Brothers, 10-hour days," he said. "I couldn't handle it, I was too small — if you aren't built for something, if you're skinny and it's a hard job, it's the drug for you."
The man said he used Adderall for about two months but it was hard to find without the proper connection. He obtained the drug from a coworker and used it to stay awake while operating a machine. He said he had experienced no negative effects afterward.
He said it was not uncommon for people to crush the pill so it could be snorted or administered via syringe.
Another 21-year-old Fleming County resident, who admitted to having using the drug, described Adderall as "synthetic cocaine" and said the punishment for off-label possession of the drug was severe.
"It's seven years a pill, just like anything else," he said. "It's just like having a $30 (bag of marijuana)."
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Show/hide comments
