Intro:

History of Adderall
In today's society it is well understood that Adderall is a well-known topic in the
college community. It is now nicknamed the study drug for students who face the
pressure to meet all of their academic requirements. With more and more students
attending college and it being the safe thing to do in a word that constantly needs to see
credentials, students feel pressured to succeed and get a college degree. College students
turn to drugs in order to help them with the workload and to help with the stress. Instead
of using drugs to alleviate the worries, students are illegally buying Adderall from friends
to keep themselves productive in the fast paced movement of college life. The illegal use
of Adderall among college students is a direct result of the ever-increasing demands of
the education system. Adderall has adopted many different nicknames throughout the
years, but one thing that hasn't changed is the misuse of it in order to get ahead in the
standards society puts up.
Adderall is a combination drug containing amphetamine and dextroamphetamine
that stimulates the nervous system and affects chemicals in the brain and nerves that
contribute to hyperactivity and impulse control. It was originally meant for individuals
with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to help them concentrate in
everyday activities but was then adopted by students to help with the workload and the
stress that comes with a competitive education in this day and age. It was not originally
intended to get ahead on the work load; during World War II US soldiers used
amphetamines similar to adderall to stay awake for long periods of time and to enhance
levels of courage and bravado. Records show that from 1966 to 1969 the US army
dispensed more amphetamines to its troops than the combined total of British and
American forces during the entire world war. Amphetamine-based drugs such as Adderall
became popular among mothers, too. Referred to as mother's little helpers, the drug
helped them be better housewives and lose weight. Writers were also using them to help
them write more efficiently. The use of amphetamine drugs became more popular both
legally and illegally. Children who had ADHD would be prescribed Adderall, and those
who needed a little boost in their everyday endeavours would buy it illegally.

Identifying the issue:

Adderall has become much more prominent across college campuses. The main
cause of this is due to the stress that has been placed on students in higher education.
College has become much more cutthroat than it has been in the past, with the job market
becoming limited and competitive. When we look at upperclassmen, the number really
begins to jump," says Alan DeSantis, professor of communications at the University of
Kentucky who has conducted research on stimulant use in college. "The more time you
stay on campus, the more likely you are to use. With so much pressure being put on
students to succeed many use any help that they can find. Adderall and other brain
stimulating drugs have increased in use on college campuses over the years because they
help students stay on top of their ever-growing college workload. DeSantis stated that at
the University of Kentucky 30% of students have illegally used one of these stimulants.
He also stated that 50% of juniors and seniors have used them and 80% of upperclassmen
in fraternities or sororities have used them. The major problem with this is that many of
students taking Adderall are not prescribed it for ADHD. They are buying it from fellow
classmates, which is very illegal. Many students do not seem to realize that Adderall is
considered a Schedule II substance in the eyes of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This places the use of Adderall on the same level as meth and morphine. A majority of the
college population do not believe that the use of adderall is even a problem and they do
not consider it bad. They are starting to look at it as just another study helper, similar to
caffeine. What many college students dont realise is that for a drug meant to increase
focus, the drug can potentially take it all away. It is highly addictive and if used
frequently the users resistance to the drug can go up and will cause them to raise the
amount they take in. On top of this, there are also many other side effects of taking
adderall unsubscribed including: insomnia, extreme moods, unusual behaviour, anxiety,
chest pain, fast heart rate, and dangerously high blood pressure. All of these effects
combined with an increase of usage by the student can be very dangerous. The National
Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted a study in 2009 in which showed that full time
college students between the ages of 18 and 22 were two times more likely to abuse
Adderall than those of the same age that do not attend college. Also another study showed
that a third of college students admitted to taking Adderall in order to help them work
more efficiently through their workload. Although many students are taking Adderall they
are unaware of its consequences. In 2008 a study of 1800 college students, 81% of
students who take Adderall thought the use of it was not bad or slightly bad.
Even though Adderall should only be prescribed to people suffering from ADHD
symptoms, it is very easy to obtain. Getting a prescription for Adderall is relatively
simple. In many cases all that is administered to a person trying to get their hands on
Adderall is a self-report checklist. This makes it very easy for people to exaggerate their
answers. Alexandra Strickler, a wellness writer for Elite Daily, stated that, In a 2008
study, as many as 93 percent of students in a college course were able to fake the
appropriate pattern of ADHD symptoms after having studied the diagnostic criteria for
just five minutes. This raises some concern about why a Schedule II Substance Drug is
so easy to obtain. The fact that they are so easy to obtain makes it so there is an
abundance of it on college campuses.

The use of Adderall on college campuses affects more than just the students. It also has
an impact on law enforcement, campus staff, doctors, and the higher education system as
a whole. From a student standpoint, the fact that many students are using Adderall puts
pressure on student who do not use these substances. To these students it feels like
students who take adderall have an unfair advantage. They believe that the use breaches
academic integrity and calls the ethics of users into question. From this, non-adderall
taking students feel as if they have to either work harder or join the crowd of Adderall
users just to remain competitive. From a law enforcement perspective, Adderall has
become pretty common and very abundant to the point that it is difficult for them to
enforce laws on it. Since Adderall is a prescribed drug for people with ADHD, it can be
difficult for police officers to determine whether it's being used illegally for academic
advances or if it is actually being used for medical purposes. Doctors also have a role in
the adderall problem. They, in fact, are the ones who are prescribing these students these
ADHD medications. Their systems might need to be adjusted to make sure the student
really has ADHD rather than just wanting to obtain adderall for sale or use. Whether this
means having more in depth psychological evaluations or taking it as far as blood tests
and EKGs in order to determine if someone is truly in need of these drugs. Looking at a
larger picture, higher education as a whole is affected by adderall. Is it too stressful to the
point that it forces students to use study drugs to stay on top of their work? Is the use of
Adderall a breach of academic integrity? Should higher education be changed or should
the use of adderall just be accepted as a tool to aid students in the increasing difficulty of
college?
Approach 1 summary:
The first approach looks to put stricter restrictions and increase enforcement on these
study drugs such as Adderall. These types of medication are originally intended for to
treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, and depression, but
because they are overly prescribed, there has been a large increase in recreational use.
Adderall and similar drugs can have a detrimental effect, leading to addiction with
inability to function without it. Because there is little education around this issue, many
students take these study enhancers without knowing the side effects like nervousness,
dizziness, and restlessness. By increasing enforcement and decreasing prescriptions,
students and other recreational users may get the idea that these seemingly harmless
drugs can be life-ruining. This approach increases educational awareness, proposing the
prescription process to become more strenuous and harsh by adding more questions and
tests. In addition, once receiving the prescription, the user would be given a page of
information to have them better understand the implications of said drug. The police
would also become more involved, cracking down on these drug trades and offering
stricter punishments for those who are caught.
Approach 2 summary:
The second approach moves in the complete opposite direction, proposing for the
complete decriminalization of study drugs like Adderall. Currently, Adderall and other
study drugs can be easily purchased around campus because of high prescription rates
and affordability of the substance. In 2012, 16 million prescriptions were written for

adderall, which is triple, its prescription in 2008. By making this medication readily
available to utilize by allowing over the counter purchasing, students will not need to
illegally purchase from friends and classmates, but instead can make a trip to the local
drugstore or supermarket. It is estimated that around 20-30% of college students abuse
Adderall. By eliminating abuse, students study habits and ability to focus may increase,
leading to better grades and understanding of class material. In addition, all arrests and
punishments based on possession and distribution will disappear, allowing campus police
to focus on other, more detrimental issues.
Approach 3 summary:
The third approach offers a solution on a long-term basis. Many students take these
stimulants for improved grades. Starting at a young age, many students feel immense
pressure to succeed, whether coming from classmates, parents, or teachers. Because there
is a greater chance of unemployment without a bachelor's degree, there is intense pressure
on students not only to complete school but also to excel. Option three looks at different
forms of schooling and teaching methods, searching for a less competitive, grade-focused
version of education. These methods will be more student-focused and would allow them
to develop their strengths. By implementing these policies, there will not be as much of a
need to abuse study drugs such as Adderall. Instead, the individuals who are actually
prescribed these drugs will be the ones that need it to function in their daily lives rather
than those who are looking for a boost in their grades.