Issue date: 10/5/06 Section: Campus Life

Media Credit: Google Images

Twenty year old Hannah Wineberg tells the story of her struggles with Attention Deficit Hyper-Active Disorder; better known as ADHD. The room is tense, as all eyes stare fiercely at this young woman who attends the prestigious Smith College in Massachusetts. "When I hear claims that students fake ADHD in order to get prescription from their doctors, I get really frustrated. I had to sit through hours upon hours of testing just to prove that I had a disability. It just makes a mockery of who I am and what I struggle with on a daily basis."
Prescription drug abuse is one of the most underreported but devastatingly critical epidemics that faces society's youth today. According to a recent study by The Partnership for a Drug Free America, one in five teens reportedly abuse prescription drugs, one in ten teenagers have tried prescription stimulants without a doctor's order, while nine percent of teens have abused "over the counter" medicines like cough medicine intentionally to get high.
The drugs prescribed to students suffering from ADHD, narcolepsy and depression are some of the most coveted medications that linger within this circle of teens, who take these drugs to get high, or to maintain their "smart" appearance on their IV league campuses throughout the country. Some of the most popular drugs included in this category are Aderall, Ritalin, and Oxycotin, termed as stimulants, and anti-depressants such as Xanax and Vicodin. Stimulant use, increases blood pressure and heart rate, constricts blood vessels and increases blood glucose and breathing. This process often results in an individual being alert, energetic and often euphoric, but may lead to cardiovascular failure (heart attack). In the same study conducted by the Partnership, the number of teens reported to have tried prescription drugs exceed those who have used cocaine, ecstasy and crystal meth, and is second to marijuana and inhalants.
Most users take stimulants to help them focus, and particularly at midterms and finals, where "all-nighters" are one of the most popular trends on campus. When asked why she believes that prescription drug abuse is such a thorough problem among teenagers, Wineberg replies, "I think that there is so much pressure in high school and college to do well, that students just want some kind of remedy."
One of the primary reasons that these drugs have become such a problem is because of the ease of access. Many students obtain these drugs from friends who are being legally medicated, or from the medicine cabinets of their parents. Wineberg believes that immediate action needs to be taken. "In order to temper the misuse of these drugs, we need to heighten the awareness of students, government officials and parents. It must be realized that we are the problem," she further states.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools