It’s smaller than a dime, odorless, colorless and appears seemingly harmless. Adderall has swept through high school, instantly improving teenager attention span and academic performance. But when Adderall is abused, its effects can cause permanent physiological harm.
“Adderall is a potent drug that is highly effective if used properly,” said physician Dr. Hal Silberman. “However, it is highly abused amongst teenagers, and should only be consumed if conditions require this medication to aide people who truly need it.”
According to the Iowa State Daily News, the United States produces 88 percent of the world’s legal amphetamine (Adderall XR). With the stress of college admissions constantly in the back of teens’ minds, Adderall seems to provide a logical solution to poor study habits or lack of preparation. In 2010, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found that 30 to 40 percent of those who have a legal prescription for Adderall illegally misuse the drug.
“I’ve been on Adderall for about a year now,” junior Nicholas Salmon said. “My grades have improved, I can concentrate for hours at a time, and it has motivated me to be a better student; I can’t take a test or study without it.”
Even for legal Adderall users the side effects are quite vigorous. Adderall can cause addiction, lack of appetite, increased blood pressure, headaches, dry mouth, insomnia, or weight loss. Taking a pill is not the only way to ingest Adderall; chewing the pill, grinding it up, snorting the contents of the capsule, and injection are all ways to acquire a“ high” off of Adderall.
“I consider Adderall a gateway drug,” sophomore Regina Del Castillo said. “I know many teens who have taken Adderall but then shifted to far more serious drugs. Since it’s easily administered and obtained, teens don’t realize what they’re getting themselves into.”
With young teenage girls, Adderall has become the shortcut to losing these infamous ten pounds. Because one of its side effects is loss of appetite, just taking Adderall for a week can make you lose a few pounds. Taking Adderall for weight loss purposes can cause malnutrition and eventually lead to more weight gain.
“Adderall should be solely used for ADD and ADHD purposes only, our generation needs to realize that past generations did just fine without Adderall, and so can we,” freshman Mollie Weinstein said. “If we nip this situation in the bud before Adderall becomes far more abused, future generations down the line will not have to face this conflict.”