As a college student, it is easy to understand the struggles and pressure that comes with being successful in school, maintaining a social life, working, and being a part of activities that build up your resume to make yourself more marketable after graduation. Time management is easily the hardest thing to accomplish while juggling all of those tasks, not to mention having a relationship and keeping physically and mentally fit. Starbucks are popular on nearly every campus to help supply the steady stream of caffeine needed to stay awake and get through the day; but when does it become acceptable to illegally take neuro-enhancers to accomplish what needs to be done? The most recent trend spreading across the country to keep up with the hectic pace is known as academic doping, cognitive enhancement, smart drugs, and academic steroids (Feinstein, Fenton). Recent studies have shown that nearly 74% of individuals on track to graduate with a bachelors take Adderall, the majority of them being illegal (Adderall: Overprescribed, Underestimated). The rising concern of the illegal use of Adderall for personal gain in an academic setting should be considered cheating, the risk factors are not worth the perceived benefit.

If one is still not convinced of the serious issue at hand, knowing that between 2002 to 2012, sales of Adderall grew over 500%, grossing more than 9 billion dollars in sales per year, maybe something to change the mind (Adderall: Overprescribed, Underestimated). Yes, the study is a bit out of date, but something to also keep in mind, the numbers have only multiplied since then. More and more students are making themselves victims of the statistics of the number of addicts and suicides that have been a result of illegally taking Adderall for an academic gain. Something needs to change as soon as possible before more and more lives fall victim of the side effects, this includes students at the University of South Carolina.

According to the Oxford Dictionary, cheating is defined as “an act of dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage” (English Oxford Living Dictionaries). If steroids are considered cheating in a sports setting because it gives people an unfair advantage over the next, then why should Adderall in an academic setting be considered any different? Abusing Adderall in an academic setting is the “equivalent of an Olympian doping…it gives some students a chemical advantage by granting them superior concentration abilities” (Fenton). According to Roger Cohen, a New York Times columnist, “Adderall has become to college what steroids are to baseball: an illicit performance enhancer for a fiercely competitive environment” (Schick). Although not all students may consider this cheating, according to a study through the Pediatric Academic Societies, nearly two thirds of the students surveyed do believe it is cheating (Bergen), some may even say it is unethical and unfair. It is unfair to other students who are not taking a cognitive enhancement, and it is even more unfair to those who are actually prescribed Adderall for their true attention deficiency disorder (Fenton). Just as in steroids, the short-term effect of abusing Adderall to enhance academic performance hinders a student’s true ability in the future. A study conducted at Rutgers University found that a student who is willing to cheat in an academic setting is more likely to cheat or be engaged in unethical behavior in the work environment as well (Fenton). In the University of South Carolinas’ Honor Code Policy, it clearly states under unauthorized assistance, that “Giving or receiving assistance, or attempting to give or receive such assistance, in connection with the performance of any academic work,” which abusing Adderall directly falls under (Honor Code Policy). Minor offenses can result in a minimum of a $350 fine or worse, expelled in serious cases.  

Adderall is commonly prescribed by doctors to patients who suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD for short. ADHD describes the brain behaviors that are abnormal and lead to hyperactivity, poor concentration and memory, and the ability to focus. Proper use of the prescribed medicine can drastically improve one’s life suffering with ADHD by increasing the levels of dopamine in the brain which in turn, increase the ability to concentrate and focus and increase other executive functions such as response control (Fenton). Common side effects include: loss of appetite, insomnia, dry mouth, and headache. More serious side effects include: high blood pressure, cardiovascular palpitations, depression, seizures, and even sudden death (Feinstein). Long term side effects are unknown, however, Adderall mostly targets the prefrontal cortex which isn’t fully developed until the early 30s (Bergen). According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), people who use Adderall for nonmedical uses show increased rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide (Adderall: Overprescribed, Underestimated). Students are putting themselves at risk when they abuse such drugs without knowing all of the side effects. 

When people think about drug abuse, cocaine or opium come to mind, both of which are classified as Schedule II drugs due to their high potential for addiction and abuse. Also classified as a Schedule II drug are amphetamines such as Adderall and Ritalin for the same reasons (Feinstein). One study showed that 90% of users of Adderall did not suffer from ADHD, meaning that they were just taking them illegally specifically for academic gain (Inciardi). When taken illegally, people put themselves at high risk not knowing how their bodies will react, thus increasing the possibility of having serious side effects. According to Professor Varga, “As more students are introduced to these stimulants and acknowledge perceived benefits, the harmful and addictive attributes may go unnoticed compared to the benefits students possibly experience” (Inciardi). Some students even go so far as snorting crushed Adderall because it hits the bloodstream faster and they claim that there is more of a ‘high’ effect, but what they don’t know is that snorting Adderall puts a greater strain on the heart (Feinstein). When taken in frequency, the body will eventually not feel the same when not taken, leading down the dangerous road of addiction and dependency. 

As many readers might be thinking, does the perceived benefit of illegally taking Adderall for academic benefit really that concerning? Well, when parents start to lose their children because they are suffering from the severe side effects of Adderall abuse, then it is. 

Adderall abuse had been shown to increase depression and suicide (Adderall: Overprescribed, Underestimated). Because of its classification as a Schedule II drug, Adderall itself is already illegal in many countries such as India, Japan, and France (Bergen). These are countries that saw the problem at hand and took immediate action to fix the situation. According to one case study conducted by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA for short, full time college students are more than twice as likely to have illegally used Adderall compared to part time students. Another study said that almost 90% of those students who illegally take Adderall are more likely to binge alcohol or be heavy alcohol users. In fact, another study conducted through the same company found that students who illegally use Adderall “reported considerably higher rates of frequent binge alcohol use, marijuana use, and cocaine use” compared to students that had not illegally used Adderall at all (SAMHSA). 

What drives a student to the point that they believe that the abuse of medication is the only answer? Studies show that simply the pressure of the success standards that parents set for their children to have can be one of the leading causes of the abuse of Adderall, including their “excessive education involvement” (Inciardi). Another huge factor is time management. As stated earlier, it is one of the hardest things to master as a college and even as a high school student. People procrastinate and take Adderall to make up for lost time, in hopes of completing that one assignment or acing that one test with only cramming the night before on no sleep. As a high school student, one may not have to work so hard to be an ‘A’ student and easily graduate the top of their class. That same person may find themselves struggling to adapt to the workload and lifestyle of a college student, a higher student body means a much more competitive competition to be on top. That being said, students will more eagerly try anything to give themselves an advantageous edge over the next student, including illegally taking Adderall as a ‘quick fix’ (Inciardi). Students have even stated that they felt like they had no other options, “and Adderall was a better option than failing and a better option than actually cheating- the traditional type of cheating” (Schick). Another motive to illegally take Adderall is when a student might see everyone around them using it and may feel compelled to participate in order to stand out academically compared to the next person (Fenton). 

If Adderall is only prescribed to patients with ADHD, then how does it become so widely distributed that students have the opportunity to take them illegally? One party to blame for the high rate of Adderall abusers is doctors. (Feinstein). In Ms. Talbot’s popular Brain Gain, one of the interviewee’s admitted that they had looked up the signs of ADHD and claimed to have the symptoms when seen by his doctor (Talbot), and since there is not a clearly defined diagnostic test, this situation is quite common (Is Adderall the New Xanax?). According to a recent study, almost 93% of the students who are on Adderall lied to their doctors to get the prescription. This maybe the reason why the uses of ADHD medications have increased by 36% from 2008-2012 (Adderall: Overprescribed, Underestimated). During one of Feinstein’s interviews, the abuser admitted that his doctor over prescribed him, that “she gives him 120 20-milligram pills every eight weeks. Even if he took one pill a day, five days a week, he would come nowhere near using 120 pills” (Feinstein). Students with such prescriptions in turn, sell any extras for cash as an income. Pills usually run from ten dollars to anywhere upwards of twenty-five to thirty-five dollars depending on the time of the semester. For example, a pill would be much more expensive during finals week then three weeks into the semester. According to one abuser, “It’s cheaper than five cups of coffee to keep you up all night” (Feinstein).

Being such a wide-spread situation, this problem is rather hard to get a grasp on to gain control of. First thought is drug testing, this however, is not the most efficient and effective route to take (Fenton). According to Steven McCabe, an associate professor at the University of Michigan, “colleges and universities should develop effective policies and programs to discourage the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants” (Schick). Another way might be to clearly define in school policies, high school and university alike, that taking such drugs as Adderall for academic gain is unethical and is considered cheating. Once school policies have been put in place that addresses the issue at hand, students will be less inclined to perform such actions when they already know that it is considered cheating (Fenton).As many readers might be thinking, does the perceived benefit of illegally taking Adderall for academic benefit really that concerning? Well, when parents start to lose their children because they are suffering from the severe side effects of Adderall abuse, then it is. 

Adderall abuse had been shown to increase depression and suicide (Adderall: Overprescribed, Underestimated). Because of its classification as a Schedule II drug, Adderall itself is already illegal in many countries such as India, Japan, and France (Bergen). These are countries that saw the problem at hand and took immediate action to fix the situation. According to one case study conducted by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA for short, full time college students are more than twice as likely to have illegally used Adderall compared to part time students. Another study said that almost 90% of those students who illegally take Adderall are more likely to binge alcohol or be heavy alcohol users. In fact, another study conducted through the same company found that students who illegally use Adderall “reported considerably higher rates of frequent binge alcohol use, marijuana use, and cocaine use” compared to students that had not illegally used Adderall at all (SAMHSA

The matter of the fact is, students need to realize that there is no such thing as a miracle pill that can magically help them to make up for lost time (Feinstein). Procrastination can be a student’s worse nightmare when it comes to midterms, finals, and other big academic events. Although it is encouraged for a student to branch out and to be active and make friends, they need to remember that school should always come first, social events second. Just making a few hours of adjustment between less time spent socially and more time spent towards studies can relieve a lot of pressure and stress upon the student, thus making them less inclined to feel the need to resort to illegally taking Adderall.  In one interview, the subject admitted that she wishes she had never even tried Adderall and, “even though she has not been diagnosed with ADHD, (she) now feels that she needs Adderall in order to work effectively” (Feinstein). It is easier to stay ethical and honest from the beginning than to try and correct oneself down the road, especially if the addiction and dependency has already begun. 

There has been a lot of debates recently over the fact if abusing Adderall should be considered cheating or not. Most students, usually the abusers themselves, do not consider it to be cheating nor unethical. In an academic setting, “everyone can benefit” from having improved concentration, focus, and little fatigue (Feinstein). Some people think that it’s fair to abuse Adderall for an academic gain, especially the lower status students because students of a higher financial status are able to afford other means to help with academic grades such as preparatory courses and private tutoring and such (Fenton). But is doing something illegal such as taking a prescription drug that is not yours to take really ethical and honest?

If one is still not convinced of the serious issue at hand, knowing that between 2002 to 2012, sales of Adderall grew over 500%, grossing more than 9 billion dollars in sales per year, maybe something to change the mind (Adderall: Overprescribed, Underestimated). Yes, the study is a bit out of date, but something to also keep in mind, the numbers have only multiplied since then. More and more students are making themselves victims of the statistics of the number of addicts and suicides that have been a result of illegally taking Adderall for an academic gain. Something needs to change as soon as possible before more and more lives fall victim of the side effects, this includes the University of South CarolinAccording to the University of South Carolina, the University “strives to maintain an educational community that fosters the development of students who are ethical, civil, and responsible persons” and, as stated before, the illegal use of Adderall for academic gain falls directly under the unauthorized assistance stated in the policy (Honor Code Policy).  As the situation continues to grow out of control and more and more students continue down the slippery slope of drug abuse, yet nothing is being done to help prevent it. The University of South Carolina, and other high schools and colleges as well, need to step up and set about making a change, a change in the policy that lists the illegal use of Adderall for academic gain as being what it is, illegal. That it is considered cheating and will not be tolerated in any school setting nor is the risks worth the perceived benefits. 
