Study Drugs and College Students

A. â€Å"As my classes started adding up my junior year, I seemed to have an immense amount of work and absolutely no time to do any of it. I had always heard about people taking Adderall to focus, study longer, stay awake. Essentially, to create the time that they needed. So, as the workload piled up, my search for Adderall began. Within twenty four hours I had five pills in my hand, costing me a mere five dollars. Five dollars for an A on an exam didn't seem as if it were any kind of price to pay at all (In Their Own Words ‘Study Drugs', 2012). B. We will now learn what types of study drugs are out there, why students take these drugs, and what types of effects these drugs have on students long and short term. II. What are the drugs that students use to help them in their studies? A. The most commonly used study drug is Adderall (mixed salts amphetamine) 1. â€Å"Adderall is indicated for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children ages three and older; it is also indicated for narcolepsy. † (Editorial Board, 2012) 2. Adderall works by stimulating the central nervous system, which increases mental awareness and also causes sleeplessness (Adderall (CII), 2010). B. Other commonly used study drugs are Ritalin, Concerta, Focalin, and Vyvanse. C. These drugs have similar effects in that they are classified as Psychostimulants, which raises the user’s blood pressure and increases focus. (Desantis, 2010) III. Because these drugs work in increasing alertness and decreasing fatigue students use them. A. A 2008 study by Alan DeSantis the head of Communications at the University of Kentucky said, â€Å"81% of students believed that the use of study drugs had little or no physical risk† (Desantis, 2010). B. The pressure put on students to get good grades is a reason that students look for ways to help them in their studies. C. The Exponent reported that almost 3% of college students admitted to taking stimulants without a prescription to improve academic performance (Adderall abuse during exams should be cheating, 2013). IV. Because Drugs work effectively they have the potential to be harmful and addictive. A. Study drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin are amphetamines and can cause irregular heartbeats, high blood pressure, loss of appetite, and sleeplessness (Adderall (CII), 2010). B. Another side effect of continued use is the inability to reach the same stimulation from everyday things (Adderall (CII), 2010). C. Because most of the study drug users don’t have a prescription for the drugs, they don’t know the dosages or how much to take (Review Staff, 2010). V. Conclusion A. Not only are students willing to break the law by using these medications without prescriptions, but some even crush the pills up and snort them. B. All drugs that alter your mood have the risk of addiction, even if they are prescription drugs. C. The chemical compositions of meth and Adderall are only differentiated by one hydrogen bond. Works Cited (2010, May). Adderall (CII). Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved July 1, 2013, from www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/†¦/011522s040lbl.pdf In Their Own Words ‘Study Drugs'. (2012, June 9). New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/06/10/education/stimulants-student-voices.html?_r=0#/#1 Adderall abuse during exams should be cheating. (2013, March 22). The Exponent. Retrieved June 30, 2013, from http://www.purdueexponent.org/opinion/editorals/article Desantis, A. D. (2010). †Adderall is Definitely Not a Drug†: Justifications for the Illegal Use of ADHD Stimulants. Substance Use ; Misuse, 45(1/2), 31-46. Editorial Board. (2012, July 19). Use of ‘study drugs' gives unfair advantage. Iowa State Daily. Retrieved June 30, 2013, from http://www.iowastatedaily.com/opinion/article Review Staff. (2010, November 16). Adderall not a safe studying aid. The Review (University of Delaware). Retrieved July 2, 2013, from http://w ww.udreview.com/editorial/adderall-not-a-safe-studying-aid