Student attempts to make the grade by abusing Adderall, a medication prescribed for treating attention deficit disorder, are becoming more common on college campuses, and some at ASU say it is no more effective than it is safe.
In a study released this month conducted by University of Kentucky professor Alan DeSantis, 34 percent of nearly 2,000 UK students surveyed said they had taken the some kind of ADD medication without a prescription.
The study also found that more than 50 percent of juniors and seniors had taken the drugs to aid in their studies.
Megan, an ASU studio art junior who declined to give her last name because of potential legal ramifications, said she has used Adderall several times to work on papers and projects.
“It clears my head and keeps me awake and interested,” she said.
Eric Anger, manager of the ASU Health Services Pharmacy, said Adderall was developed for the military before it became available to the public.
“They used it to stay up all night for missions,” Anger said
David Konieczka, an intern at ASU’s pharmacy, said the drug triggers the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain.
“These chemicals put the user in a fight-or-flight mentality,” Konieczka said.
Anger said Adderall is classified as a C-2 level amphetamine, which means it has a high potential for abuse and physical dependence.
“It’s one level below an illegal drug,” Anger said.
In Arizona, possession of a non-narcotic prescription drug without a prescription is a Class 1 misdemeanor and selling them is a Class 6 felony.
ASU Police Cmdr. Jim Hardina said there have been some arrests made at ASU for possession of the drug, but there have been few arrests made for dealing and distribution.
Megan said during some study sessions with the drug, she has experienced physical side effects like teeth grinding and mood alteration.
“It’s made me feel jittery in a way I’ve never felt before — much stronger than coffee,” she said.
Anger said Adderall can result in side effects like hypertension and heart arrhythmia, even for some first-time users.
“There’s always the potential for side effects, and also for addiction,” he said.
Megan said she and other people she knows who use the drug to study have sometimes run into the hazard of getting derailed without knowing it.
“I once spent a few hours working on a paper, but then got distracted and spent a few hours looking up everything about the Kennedy family on Wikipedia,” she said. “It makes you so zoned in and it’s really easy to go on a tangent and forget why you took it in the first place.”
Anger dismissed any claims that the drugs can improve performance and bolster grades.
“It’s all based on myth,” Anger said. “All the studies say that you don’t learn more and you don’t retain information any better.”
Instead of experimenting with potentially dangerous drugs, Konieczka said, students should use much safer methods to stay awake.
“Stick to caffeine,” he said.
Reach the reporter at chase.kamp@asu.edu
