Trending: ADD/ADHD Medications

If you think your child’s (or their friends’) ADD medications are stored safely in the medicine cabinet and being properly used, think again. New studies indicate that medications prescribed for Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) such as Ritalin, Adderall and Vyvanse, are being widely misused by teens and college students. For many students, these drugs are being used to gain a competitive edge in school.

They can create a “speed”-like effect

Allowing the user to stay up all night to study for a test or write a paper. Other students have been known to take the pills for weight loss, as the side effects of the drugs can include increased metabolism and diminished appetite. These drugs can be taken in pill form, or crushed into powder and snorted.

According to GoAskAlice.columbia.edu, an online health Q&A service provided by Columbia University, these medications are classified as Schedule II drugs in the amphetamine class. Since the drugs, especially Adderall, are similar in chemical makeup to methamphetamine, taking them can pose serious health risks. Including irregular heartbeat, increased aggression, psychotic episodes, toxic shock and even death. Inhaling or snorting the drugs pose an even greater risks. This is because they enter the bloodstream in a higher concentration than when taken in pill form.

Because these drugs are legally and widely prescribed to children and adolescents withADD/ADHD, they are extremely accessible to teens. Additionally they should be monitored by a parent.

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