Doctors concerned about illegal use of Adderall in students

SALT LAKE CITY — Many college students across the country are abusing a prescription drug typically used to treat ADHD. It's the so-called "smart drug" also known as a "study buddy" — Adderall.

Experts say one in 10 people use it without a prescription.

"If it was before finals or something, you'd get these messages on our campus messaging system (from) people either requesting or selling Adderall, Ritalin, stuff like that," said University of Utah graduate student John McIntosh.

That was McIntosh's experience as an undergrad at a New York university. But the problem is also a trend in Utah.

"I had a few friends my freshman year use Adderall," said another student who asked not to be identified, "primarily to study; but sometimes they'd also use it for recreation."

The student explained that he noticed it helped his friends study better. And that's actually the problem. Doctors say that when taking Adderall under a doctor's care, people usually do well.

However, when used without a prescription, many can begin the downward spiral of addiction.

"And so then it starts to pervade other facets of life. And they really like it. And then it becomes a habit," said Dr. Glen Hanson of the University of Utah College of Pharmacy. "And they become dependent on it. And then it begins to change the brain chemistry, the brain biology."

Hanson explained that abusing Adderall is every bit as addictive as methamphetamine because it's basically the same thing. Eventually, it can distort reality and the user can sometimes become psychotic.

"And they develop paranoia. And so they think people are out to get them, out to hurt them," Hanson said. "And it's not unusual to find heavy users actually look like a schizophrenic."

In fact, Hanson said mental health experts can't often distinguish between an amphetamine-induced schizophrenia and a naturally occurring schizophrenia. "It looks just the same," he said.

Which is why Hanson said he and medical professionals are concerned with young college or even high school kids abusing Adderall. Long-term abuse can cause permanent neurological damage in a brain that's still developing.

"We're starting to see people who have seriously abused the amphetamines," he said, "and ... they get Parkinson's disease later on as they get older."

The doctor explained that while young college kids use this drug to help them study, the side effects may not be immediately obvious. However, it may already be too late.

"The brain's already taken one step forward in that process that could show up when you're 40, 50, 60 years old," Hanson said. "And you have a disease that you would not have had if you hadn't been playing around with these drugs when you were a teenager or in your early 20s."

Email: niyamba@desnews.com

Video Courtesy of KSL.com