Prescription drugs are a wonderful thing, but not when they are abused by people who do not need them. When this happens, it is just another way to get high, and oen step closer to ruining a life.
College kids are supposed to be smart, right? It turns out this is not true when it comes to abusing alcohol and prescription medication.
A growing number of college students have abused prescription medications such as Ritalin or Adderall. These substances are used to treat attention deficit disorder(ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Up to 20 percent of students on college campuses have used either Ritalin or Adderall to gain a competitive edge on their coursework, according to a report by the New York Times.
College Students Abuse Prescriptions More Than Non-College Kids
Full-time college students between the ages of 18 to 22 were twice as likely to have used Adderall than those who were not students, according to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).
SAMSHA classifies Adderall as having the highest potential for dependence or abuse. Other substance abuse issues also coincide with Adderall use. Nearly 90 percent of college students who used Adderall reported binge drinking within the last month, according to SAMSHA.
The Stats
The top six drugs that are popular right now are Oxycontin, Vicodin, Valium, Xanax, Ritalin and Adderall.
One out of every 4 college students admits to having used illegal prescription medication.
It is estimated that about 2,500 of teenagers between the ages of 12 to 17-yearolds per day are experimenting with an opiate for the very first time.
Yet one more disturbing article regarding prescription medications. The Federal Government really needs to do something about this problem before our nation’s future is flushed down the toilet.