It's an alarming trend on college campuses in Maryland and across the country. More and more students are taking prescription drugs illegally to boost their grades. Mary Bubala investigates why the so-called smart drug could put your life in danger. A University of Maryland junior from Montgomery County admits using a prescription drug illegally. His goal is to boost his brain power.
"It's very prevalent because a lot of people feel pressured. The pressure in college, keeping your GPA up," he said. "It wakes you up kind of like coffee, but much more intense."
The drug is Adderall. It's supposed to be prescribed for attention deficit disorders. WJZ has learned it's being sold on the black market on college campuses across the country, including the University of Maryland.
"Some people sell it. Some people just give it to you as friends," said the student, who does not want his identity revealed. "I consider it very easy to get."
It's estimated one out of every four college students is abusing the drug known as the "academic steroid." Students, who just want to cram for tests, buy Adderall from kids who have prescriptions. The engineering student hid his identity while revealing why he took Adderall before a huge calculus test.
"I took it, studied for six hours straight, pretty much learned the entire chapter in six hours," he said. "I took it again for the test the next day. I got a B or B-plus, and I didn't know a thing 24 hours before."
But Adderall is loaded with serious side effects, including stroke, heart attack and even sudden death.
"It's glorified speed," said Dr. Paul Vaeth, psychiatrist. "These drugs are sold on area college campuses as performance enhancing drugs."
The amphetamine comes with warnings of a "high abuse potential" for those using it off label - like college students.
"You are abusing a substance that addicts break into pharmacies, or hold people at gunpoint for," said Vaeth.
Vaeth says students are being reckless, popping Adderall whenever they need an academic boost. Kids don't know the dose they are getting when they are handed these pills.
"If you have an undetected heart problem, it increases your risk of sudden death, so as a physician I am worried about all these things and thinking about them. If I'm buying them on campus, I am buying whatever dose Joe sold me, which is what his doctor prescribed for him," said Vaeth.
Adderall comes in four different strengths. The student says he got the strongest from his friend along with "on the fly" instructions on how to take it.
"He had the quick acting ones so he said he would break it into fours and take a fourth every hour, so it would be extended instead of taking it all at once," the student. "I don't worry about the side effects because I haven't done it that many times."
But physicians warn of a dangerous mix that could prove fatal, even for those who use Adderall just once.
"Now they will combine Adderall as if to say this isn't quite enough, let me throw some coffee, let me throw some 'No Doze' on," Vaeth said. "God forbid if they decide just a little cocaine, there you are looking at a perfect, sudden death scenario."
The penalties for possessing or selling Adderall without a prescription in Maryland are one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. SOURCE: WJZ
No comments:
Post a Comment