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Academic Enhancers are on the Rise for College Students: Psychological and physiological consequen


In the past years, it is understood that drug culture is an essential part to the full college experience. The time that young adults spend in the microcultures of green quads and large lecture halls is heavily intertwined with drugs.


According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, daily marijuana use among college students has increased in the population from 3.7% in 1995 to 4.6% in 2015. As well as, a directly proportional increase in binge drinking among the college students recorded at 31.9% in 2015, with only 23.7% of student of college age not attending school (Drug, 2016). These values suggest that the college lifestyle acts as a catalyst for drug use behavior which is now linked to those who are now common offenders or drug abusers. The focus should be redirected away from the common offenders to the psychological and physiological consequences of the recreational drugs.


A new group of drugs called academic enhancers are dominating college campuses. The drug culture of college students is changing from just doing drugs for fun and now letting the influence seep into the classroom. Students use this advantage to take chemicals to seek academic excellence. According to the American Psychological Association, Adderall and Ritalin came on the scene in the late 1990s and have been a drug of choice among students more and more each year (2). In 2005, only 6.9% of students from a representative sample of 119 colleges and universities had used Ritalin, Dexedrine or Adderall without a prescription (2). Sounds like a fairly small number, right? It is important to point out that figure is an average because some schools recorded 0% but some schools recorded as high as 25% (2). One fourth of students had admitted to using an academic stimulant without a prescription, a chemical that only came into play less than 20 years ago at the time of the study. The APA attempted to explain the popularity of these drugs, explaining that in the traditional drug culture, students used drugs as a means of escape. Now, 70% of students claim to use these drugs to improve attention and 54% of students say they are trying to improve study habits. (2) So, yes students are using drugs just a much, if not more, than they were before. However, is it better that students are abusing these chemicals to improve their academic performance than as a means of escape?


The use of drugs to achieve academic excellence is not a universal phenomenon. This suggests that the more competitive the school, the more susceptible the students are to use Adderall or Ritalin. Thus it can be hypothesised students feel a need to use them just to cope with the competitive nature of our society and not as heavily sought out for pleasure . This hypothesis is widely contested as Nita Farahany, the director of Duke Science & Society, argues for the use of the drugs or rather the freedom of choice for college students (Ojiaku, 2015). She states that students should be able to decide for themselves whether to utilize academic stimulants. By backing up her argument with the idea that bettering the student's intellectual ability is beneficial for society as a whole. Contrastingly, Nicole Vincent, associate professor of philosophy, law and neuroscience at Georgia State University, argues that there is no proof that there is benefit of using these drugs and that using them to cope with the competitive nature of society simply perpetuates the problem (Ojiaku, 2015). The debate between these two professors reveals an interesting interconnection between choice and coping. Freedom of what we put into our bodies is a heated issue, and if we say the use of Adderall and Ritalin is the choice of the individual, where is the line drawn? If these drugs are left to choice, why are college students punished for using alcohol when under 21 or smoking pot? At the same time, the reason that students feel the need to turn to drugs in the first place is to escape from the pressures of society. While the use of academic stimulants are not seen as an escape a much as drinking or getting high, it is a means of coping with the means of intense stress college students face in the classroom. That is a socially constructed problem, and if drugs like Adderall and Ritalin help students survive the environment we force them into, how can we judge them for striving for success? While it’s easy to get lost in the debate over this issue, the most important insight may come from the students themselves. I took the time to interview two students at the University of Connecticut, one of whom uses Adderall with a prescription to treat ADHD and one uses Adderall without a prescription. Here is the transcript of both interviews:

Student Prescribed Adderall:


Q. Why were you prescribed Adderall?


- I was prescribed Adderall for my ADHD as well as to treat my Post Concussive Syndrome.


Q. How easy was it for you to get this prescription?


-Once I was diagnosed with ADHD, acquiring Adderall was very easy. I was set up with a medicine provider and she prescribed me Adderall after just a few appointments.


Q. How many times do you use Adderall/what is your treatment plan?


-I use my Adderall as needed, so on days when I’m studying for an exam or if I have a lot of work to do. I take both extended release and short term release. I usually take 20mg.


Q. Did you see any improvement in your studying when using the Adderall?


-I have always struggled with reading and studying before taking Adderall. Now I am able to read my textbooks and absorb the content which is incredible for someone with brain damage and ADHD. My life has changed completely since taking this drug.


Q. Did you see any improvement in your grades in the coursework you were studying for while on Adderall?


-I have always been able to succeed academically before Adderall, but now it is much easier and less strenuous to get straight A’s.


Q. How competitive would you describe your college environment?


-I would say that it is much more competitive than high school, but I try to compete solely with myself and not with my peers.


Q. Do you think there’s a difference between using Adderall and drinking/smoking marijuana? Why?


-It is different if you are being prescribed the drug. I take Adderall so I can function at the same level as everyone else who is not afflicted with attention deficit disorder. Those who take it recreationally are doing more damage to their bodies than those who simply drink/smoke. If abused, Adderall can become a dangerous drug.


Q. Do you think people have the right to use Adderall solely for academic enhancement?


-As someone who legitimately needs Adderall to function normally, I would say no. Putting unnecessary drugs in your body just to get a higher grade seems irresponsible and unsafe. I think Adderall should be used solely as an ADHD drug. Adderall should be used to level the playing field rather than used to help some get ahead.


Q. Have you ever felt a negative stigma for using Adderall? What is the impact for the legitimate prescription use of Adderall as it is becoming more and more widely abused?


-My first day using Adderall, someone asked me if I would be willing to sell them some. I feel as though I have to defend my diagnosis and prescription every time I take my pills in a public setting. It’s almost as though taking it recreationally is more common than taking it as prescribed.

Nonprescription User:


Q. How easy was it for you to get it?


-Very easy, my friend has a prescription for it so she would always just give me some if I gave her a couple dollars per pill.


Q. How did you get it?


-My friend has a prescription


Q. Did you see any improvement in your studying when using the Adderall?


-It did help me focus so that I was able to study and get work done.


Q. Did you see any improvement in your grades in the coursework you were studying for while on Adderall?


-It didn’t necessarily improve my grades, but it allowed me to focus when I couldn’t bring myself to study.


Q.How competitive would you describe your college environment?


-Not very competitive. I haven’t felt the need to use Adderall as much in college because I feel there is less coursework for me to do and I have more time to get motivation naturally to study.


Q. Do you think there’s a difference between using Adderall and drinking/smoking marijuana? Why?


-There is a definitely a huge difference between the three substances. Marijuana makes me feel tired and completely unmotivated and seriously lack focus. Alcohol makes it so it’s very difficult to pay attention to anything and do any work. Adderall helps me focus and stay on task, but it also gives me a hyper feeling. I don’t feel the need to drink coffee because I am full of energy. I also have taken Adderall a few times to give myself a boost of energy and excitement.


From these interviews, some interesting dichotomies come forward. First, while both students said it was relatively easy to acquire the Adderall, it seems the student with the prescription had to put in more effort. She had to go through multiple appointments, while the other student buys if off her friend whenever she wants. This brings up an interesting point that students who actually need the drug have more barriers to receiving it. Also, both students do not seem to think the competitive nature of college has an impact on their Adderall use. It seems that competition would be a strong motivator in student striving for academic excellence, but in reality students do not need to feel this pressure in order be interested in taking drugs to better their academic performance. The results about competitiveness may be different at universities, but this reveals the question why are students using these drugs? I think the major reason for the rise in academic stimulants is the attitude that surrounds them. The nonprescription user associates Adderall solely with academic purposes. Although the use of Adderall remains highly contested, the severity of the drug seems to be overlooked, which could be detrimental to college students. Not to say drinking and smoking are any better, but right now a student is probably more likely to justify ‘popping an addy’ then showing up drunk to class. This may be justifiable, but we won’t know until we address this issue.

Works Cited

Drug and Alcohol Use in College-Age Adults in 2015 [Digital image]. (2016, November 3). Retrieved March 10, 2017, from https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/infographics/drug-alcohol-use-in-college-age-adults-in-2015

Pardon Our Interruption. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2017.

Ojiaku, P. (2015, November 3). ‘Smart drugs’ are here — should college students be allowed to use them? The Washington Post. Retrieved March 10, 2017, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/speaking-of-science/wp/2015/11/03/smart-drugs-are-here-should-college-students-be-allowed-to-use-them/?utm_term=.577764034031

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