by Isabelle Ick
Increasing abuse of prescription stimulants by high school students to enhance academic performance has raised concern of its health implications, primarily addiction. In competitive high schools, pressure regarding grades and admission into college has caused students to abuse prescription stimulants to improve academic achievement. Schools need to educate students about the health and legal consequences of prescription stimulant abuse, while doctors and parents need to monitor teens’ prescriptions more closely in order to reduce misuse.
While there is no reliable research on how many high school students abuse these “good-grade pills,” it is estimated to be around 15 to 40 percent, according to nytimes.com. Prescription stimulants include methylphenidates such as Ritalin and Concerta and amphetamines such as Dexedrine, Vyvanse and Adderall. Stimulants enhance brain activity, alertness and energy. They are normally prescribed to treat the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, according to drugabuse.com.
Students obtain pills from their friends and student dealers, or fake their symptoms to parents and doctors in order to receive a prescription, according to nytimes.com. The pills increase their ability to focus, control interrupting behavior and stay awake longer, according to livescience.com.
Abuse of prescription stimulants can lead to depression, mood swings, irregular or rapid heartbeat and acute exhaustion or psychosis during withdrawal, according to nytimes.com. Patients also are more likely to overdose and harm their bodies when the drug is misused, according to drugabuse.com.
Due to their addictive quality, stimulants are federal class two controlled substances, a group that includes cocaine and morphine. Abuse can easily lead to dependency and addiction, and can also turn students on to harder and more addictive drugs. This will only add to the preexisting drug problems that high schools across the nation face every day.
Schools need to implement focused drug education programs explaining the health effects of prescription stimulant abuse. The programs must also discuss legal consequences of prescription stimulant abuse, as giving pills to someone without a prescription is the same as selling them and can be prosecuted as a felony, according to nytimes.com.
Doctors should take note of unusual increases in the amount of prescription medication needed or frequent, unscheduled refill requests. Screening for prescription drug abuse should be incorporated into routine medical visits. Also, parents need to closely monitor their children’s prescriptions.
Action needs to be taken to prevent the harmful abuse of prescription stimulants. As a newer form of drug abuse, its essential that the issue is addressed before it grows. In a society that constantly justifies the means to an end, students need to realize that their health is more important than their academic achievement.
Increasing abuse of prescription stimulants by high school students to enhance academic performance has raised concern of its health implications, primarily addiction. In competitive high schools, pressure regarding grades and admission into college has caused students to abuse prescription stimulants to improve academic achievement. Schools need to educate students about the health and legal consequences of prescription stimulant abuse, while doctors and parents need to monitor teens’ prescriptions more closely in order to reduce misuse.
While there is no reliable research on how many high school students abuse these “good-grade pills,” it is estimated to be around 15 to 40 percent, according to nytimes.com. Prescription stimulants include methylphenidates such as Ritalin and Concerta and amphetamines such as Dexedrine, Vyvanse and Adderall. Stimulants enhance brain activity, alertness and energy. They are normally prescribed to treat the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy, according to drugabuse.com.
Students obtain pills from their friends and student dealers, or fake their symptoms to parents and doctors in order to receive a prescription, according to nytimes.com. The pills increase their ability to focus, control interrupting behavior and stay awake longer, according to livescience.com.
Abuse of prescription stimulants can lead to depression, mood swings, irregular or rapid heartbeat and acute exhaustion or psychosis during withdrawal, according to nytimes.com. Patients also are more likely to overdose and harm their bodies when the drug is misused, according to drugabuse.com.
Due to their addictive quality, stimulants are federal class two controlled substances, a group that includes cocaine and morphine. Abuse can easily lead to dependency and addiction, and can also turn students on to harder and more addictive drugs. This will only add to the preexisting drug problems that high schools across the nation face every day.
Schools need to implement focused drug education programs explaining the health effects of prescription stimulant abuse. The programs must also discuss legal consequences of prescription stimulant abuse, as giving pills to someone without a prescription is the same as selling them and can be prosecuted as a felony, according to nytimes.com.
Doctors should take note of unusual increases in the amount of prescription medication needed or frequent, unscheduled refill requests. Screening for prescription drug abuse should be incorporated into routine medical visits. Also, parents need to closely monitor their children’s prescriptions.
Action needs to be taken to prevent the harmful abuse of prescription stimulants. As a newer form of drug abuse, its essential that the issue is addressed before it grows. In a society that constantly justifies the means to an end, students need to realize that their health is more important than their academic achievement.