Ritalin goes to college

By Ken West
Published: November 10, 2008

The youngsters with Attention Deficit Disorder who benefited from taking Ritalin in the ’80s and ’90s are now in college, and their friends without ADD are buying up their pills. Why? These non-ADD students believe that prescription medication offers them a competitive edge while studying for exams and pulling all-nighters.

One student at Columbia University told New York Times reporter Andrew Jacobs that she either sells her pills or trades them for meals. “I’m constantly bombarded with requests,” she was quoted as saying. During exams, sales escalate as students try to stay alert and focused during long nights of study. “As a kid, I was made to feel different for taking these drugs. Now, it’s almost cool to take them,” she said.

Adderall and Concerta, also used to treat ADHD, are equally popular. Because they come in time-release tablets, these medications can keep people focused throughout the day, explained Jacobs. In addition, many college students without medical conditions are becoming experts at faking symptoms to receive prescription medication from campus physicians.

How many students are taking medication without a prescription? Surveys in 2005 showed that one out of five college students experimented with prescription drugs to help them study. More recent surveys show that, in highly competitive schools, as many as 25 percent of students without medical conditions take prescription medication. In less competitive schools, that number can drop to zero, (statistics come from the September, 2008, issue of The Monitor).

High school students and even middle school students without prescriptions are also trying these drugs. “Research finds that 2.6 percent of 8th graders, 3.6 percent of 10th graders and 4.4 percent of 12th graders admit to taking Ritalin without a prescription,” The Monitor reports.

“The environment here (Columbia University) is incredibly competitive. If you don’t take them, you’ll be at a disadvantage to everyone else,” a student was quoted by Jacobs as saying. Following an all-night study session fueled by prescription drugs, another student without a medical condition told Jacobs, “I don’t think I could keep a 3.9 average without the stuff.”

Protest and Dangers
“If the baseball steroid hearings have taught us anything, it’s that people will risk a lot to succeed in our overly competitive culture. From performance-enhancing drugs for athletes to cosmetic surgery for celebrities, it’s become common place for Americans to use medical advances to gain a competitive edge,” reporter Beth Azar writes (The Monitor).

Students who don’t take performance-enhancing drugs are protesting. “It’s cheating, and it really bothers me. I mean, everyone here (Columbia University) is smart. They should be able to get by without the extra help” (New York Times). 

“Such abuse has clear risks. Even when taken as prescribed, Adderall and Ritalin can disturb sleep patterns and stunt growth. In high doses, they can cause seizures. (And) there is no evidence that the non-medical use of prescription stimulants helps students perform academically,” a University of Michigan researcher was quoted in The Monitor as saying.

However, students believe these medications give them an edge, and they believe it’s worth the risk to use them. Unfortunately, college students are not known for taking drugs in moderation.

Most experts believe this problem in competitive colleges will only grow worse. Many students are now experimenting with drugs intended to treat narcolepsy. And, as improvements are made in drugs that treat Alzheimer’s disease, experts believe that students will experiment to see if these prescription drugs can also give them a competitive advantage.

Now what?
What does the future hold? As they did after the recent crash of banks around the United States, many people believe more regulation is needed. Buying and selling prescription drugs on the black market is illegal. However, as long as students believe that the risks are worth the benefits, they will continue to take them.