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The Two Sides of Prescription Drug Abuse On Campus

All night cram sessions used to mean a bunch of empty coffee cups, but these days, college students have found a new way to make it through midterm week: prescription drugs.

With the flip of a lid and a pop of a pill, students seek to study longer and with more concentration, reducing the stress involved with upcoming exams.

The use of prescription stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin as  study aids has proliferated on campuses, and it seems like  students don’t regard the use of these drugs as a problem.

Perhaps it is because these drug users don’t fit the stereotypical profile. They are students with a GPA to worry about and tough majors in tough schools. They are your friends or roommates, and it’s not like they are popping pills to go partying. Students report using the drug occasionally and only for the study benefits.

Another reason for the turned cheek could be the proliferation itself. While alcohol remains on top of the list for substance abuse on campus, prescription stimulants  are right behind with 15 to 20 percent of students using the drug , according to Amelia Arria, Ph.D., Senior Scientist at the Treatment Research Institute.

Not to mention, an argument arises about the source of the drug. Most people get the drugs from friends who have a prescription for ADHD, arguing that if their friends can use it, it must be safe for them to use as well. Plus,  it isn’t really bought from a drug dealer on the corner. In some cases, it isn’t bought at all, as friends with ADHD simply give away their medication.

With the unique circumstances surrounding prescription stimulant use on campus, it is hard to think of it as a drug issue. Still, as with the use of any drug, there are definite health consequences and even campus-wide ramifications. Citing “occasional” use of the drug masks a greater issue. Engaging in use of these drugs  is ultimately habit-forming and could result in greater dependence.

A 2007 study of undergraduate students published in the journal Pharmacotherapy found that those students who began illicit prescription stimulant use in college were four times more likely to report three or more positive indicators on a standard drug abuse screening test than their peers who did not use stimulants, according to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

Besides addiction, use of these stimulants could have greater health consequences. The argument that if it is safe for someone else it is also safe for you is easily countered. The people who have been prescribed these drugs know the risks, have been monitored by doctors and have been written a prescription based on their individual health and history. Students without a prescription have simply been handed a pill without knowing if they are prone to certain conditions. Worst case scenario could result in seizure or cardiac arrest.

We have all heard the health consequences, but a lesser debate rages on about drugs hurting schools’ academic integrity as using a stimulant edge while studying creates an illegal, unsafe and frankly unfair advantage. Someone cramming with the use of stimulants earning the same grade on a test as someone who legitimately studied seems like many in the academic community as on par with cheating.

In a forum such as the Olympics, where athletes are judged based on their athletic ability and the best are rewarded, performing-enhancing drugs are cheating. The same idea should stand true for academics as well, where students are challenged and judged on their ability to study and learn. Add in the widespread use of study-enhancing drugs and it is hard to make sure the best get rewarded.

If you have weighed the pros and cons of prescription drug use and decided it is not for you, there are things you can do to enhance your study sessions and test scores.

Start Early

Don’t cram. It is stressful and not effective for everyone. Start making a study guide as you go along the semester by combining your class notes and reading material after each lesson. That way, by the the time your test comes around, you have a cheat sheet all ready to look over.

Actually Go to Class

So many test questions come from lectures and in-class discussions and videos. Professors do this on purpose to stick it to the people who sleep in. So go, take diligent notes and make your class notes the biggest chunk of your study guide.

Study With Others

It is fun and actually helps. But it can be distracting so cap off your own studying with a quiz-style study session with a friend. It will show you what you need to work on.

Look for Study Tools

College towns have businesses that tutor and provide notes and study guides. If you feel uneasy, check out one of these services in your town. It will cost you, but so will Adderall. Go online and see if you can find some old study guides or practice tests for your class, as some professors post them. If not, try to find someone who took the class last semester and get some help from them.

Be Confident

Some might resort to prescription drugs because they aren’t confident in their study abilities. Studying is hard, but it is something we all have to do. Don’t count yourself out. People have been doing this for centuries and so can you.

Ask for Help

Talk to your professor. They are there to help you learn and will give you advice if you ask for it.

Schools fail to monitor the use of stimulant prescriptions, and students cracking under pressure will continue to buy them. Still, curbing the spread starts with students addressing the issue and taking a stand on one side or the other.