"Study Buddy" Threatens Health

What is this miracle drug of which America's youth is so fond? That's right. It is a miracle drug, Adderall. Otherwise known as speed, Adderall is a stimulant drug which runs through one's central nervous system in order to help Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. It is used to help individuals cope with focusing and short-term attention span. Drugs like Adderall are being used illegally by 20 percent of college students nationwide according to a study published in The Johns Hopkins Newsletter in November 2002. Students treat their bodies like they can do virtually anything. They binge drink, abuse drugs, smoke packs of cigarettes a day, and pull all nighters. Students can party 4 or 5 days during the week, pop in an Adderall the next day and be fine. Some take it just to stay awake, others take it to concentrate for long periods of time, and some take it simply to lose weight. Why would America's youth stoop so low as to abuse a prescribed drug? It is true that Adderall is a stimulating drug, so it enhances the brain's ability to focus and concentrate, enabling a student to be more "productive." It is this property of Adderall that makes it so addicting, yet so deceiving. The cause for Adderall abuse is mostly for academic purposes. A student who is under a lot of growing pressure from responsibilities, will do almost anything to alleviate some of that pressure. In a way, this makes Adderall the alcohol of schoolwork; in that it avoids the real issue at hand, which is procrastination. Something that students lack is the facts about abusing a controlled substance such as Adderall. Continuous users eventually build up a tolerance, and then need more of the drug. Adderall is highly addictive, and a student who is not actually prescribed to use this drug can suffer numerous side-effects. According to the WebMD Health website, students believe that the benefits of using the drug outweigh the potential body damage or withdrawal he or she may experience later. The warning label on the drug clearly states that the misuse of the drug may result in heart and blood pressure problems. As stated on the New York University website, Adderall is being taken as a "study aide" or a "study buddy," because its effects are similar to caffeine. In fact, Adderall is amphetamine, a psycho stimulant, which puts it in the same family of drugs such as caffeine, cocaine, and meth. Although abuse of Adderall is illegal, it is very hard to monitor because it is so easy to access. It is mostly up to students whether or not to abuse the pill. Prescribed drug abuse is a serious medical issue and still requires medical rehabilitation for recovery. The demands of success can be overwhelming. As a result, every student may need a way to redirect or maintain his or her focus. This explains natural energy boosters which consist of exercising, sleeping well and eating right, according a health website. Instead of trying to obtain "super powers," students should see the natural powers in their own bodies and act on those.