Adderall in College free essay sample

The article I read was about the abuse and prevention of the ADHD drug Adderall. The general consensus is that stimulant amphetamines like Adderall do indeed increase performance in those that do and do not have properly diagnosed ADHD. The promise of a better GPA with less effort is promise enough for college students across the board to obtain Adderall by any means necessary. Many students admit to actually seeing doctors and purposefully exaggerating symptoms of ADHD to acquire medication. Others just buy it off one of their friends who are more then likely to have a legal prescription. Over half of college students in the Boston area have said they have taken Adderall before to improve their test score, study abilities and to stay up all night to party. The danger lies in the possibility of dependence and the rarely considered effect of the drug on those that have preexisting medical problems that can deteriorate with prolonged use. We will write a custom essay sample on Adderall in College or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Critique: The title of this article is called Steroids for School: College students get hooked on ‘smart drugs. ’ By Linda Carroll. This article/ report was on the Today Show last year and it took us inside the life of a student who takers Adderall. Since many students assert that they use Adderall only for studying for large tests and completing important assignments, the risk of dependency is high. One student that was being interviewed in the artile said the following â€Å"I don’t think I’m addicted†¦.. I just can’t imagine not taking it; I attend a major university†¦. I take two pills when I have a ton of work to do†¦. Without Adderall I failed one class†¦. I began to take Adderall again and saw a huge improvement. † The long-term effects of using Adderall in this manner are relatively unknown, however it is well known that those that use amphetamines in larger doses by snorting or inhaling can very well be diagnosed with addiction. Just one example of an amphetamine of this nature is speed. Adderall is also called the â€Å"the poor mans crack† back it has similar effects but yet a lot cheaper and easier to get your hands on. Because of it being so easy to obtain many college students don’t think its illegal to be taking it without a prescription. If someone gets caught selling it or buying Adderall without a prescription, is the same offense as buying or selling cocaine. One of the doctors who was doing the article study explains how by taking Adderall you are just hurting yourself in the long run. Parents are accustomed to warning their kids about the dangers of alcohol and stimulants like cocaine may have been caught off guard by the growing prevalence of prescription medication use among college students trying score good grades. While Adderall is considered safe when taken as prescribed by a doctor, experts say it can be very addictive. â€Å"It’s a highly addictive substance and when you play with addictive substances, you ultimately get burned,† Stephen Odom, a drug abuse counselor at Sober Living by the Sea, told Robach. â€Å"For all intents and purposes, Adderall is speed. You’re putting something in your body that’s gonna make you think you’re OK when you’re not. And the next thing you know, you’re gonna be spinning out of control.