The popular ADD medication Adderall is continuing its reign as one of the most popular drugs on college campuses, especially during high-stress finals. Columbia student Daniel D'Addario recently questioned some students about their use of the "study drug," whether it makes them better students, and how easy it has become to find the drug on campuses.
It turns out the kids are all about the drug, which is easy to come by thanks to overzealous psychiatrists. "They just feel the need to prescribe something,” said student James, who gives his pills to his friends. Not everyone is so generous, and some students pay up to $20 a pill. Another who has a prescription often has to drink to make his muscles relax after a day of studying on the pill, but says there aren't many other options for him. "What was the psychiatrist gonna do otherwise, talk me into concentrating?" A 2004 study of 119 colleges showed that up to 25% of students on some campuses had used Adderall recreationally. There were 31.8 million prescriptions for ADD medications at the time, and Adderall was the most popular.
Other students have become dependent on their friends' supplies, though they may not actually be working as planned. While he was supposed to be studying, student Owen ended up taking 45 minutes to write a tangent-filled e-mail to his mom. James recalled one time where he spent half a test period on one math problem where his numbers weren't even right. Still, he thinks the drugs benefits outweigh the disadvantages. “In high school, I was like ‘cheaters!’ And then I came here and I was like, ‘Everyone’s taking it, get me in on it.'" In short, all the cool kids are doing it.
