Study Drugs

According to Columbia Casa and University of Minnesota (2015), students are facing the demands of coursework, part-time jobs, internships, social obligations and more, many turn to drugs as a way to cope.  More students than ever are taking stimulants, such as Adderall, for example to help students stay awake long enough to study or complete assignments on time. All too often, these prescription drugs are obtained without a legitimate prescription or with legitimate prescription and are selling to friends and others. Students are now exploring many new aspects of their lives and wonder what could come their way. It’s not uncommon for that self-exploration to dip into drug experimentation. Students who are surround themselves with other experimenters that are trying recreational and performance-enhancer drugs are more likely to try these substances for themselves. These habits lead to a drop in a college students academic grade and has been proven to do so. (Addiction Center 2015) According to National Institute on Drug Abuse Young Adults ranging in age 18-25, the abuse of prescription drugs is second only to abuse of

The number one way students are getting their hands on these different drugs is from the help of their peers. As for prescriptions, others steal it from their

Christopher Wanjek, author of Smart Pills: The Truth About Cognitive Enhancing Drugs, a columnist for Live Science and a health and science writer informs readers over the strict and malicious side effects of smart pills. Throughout the article the author illustrates the merit and ethics behind the use of a drug that can become a popular norm further in the future from advocates, such as college students. However, the author feels very appalled by this and continues to further elaborate on this by exclaiming that,“Ritalin is riddled with side effects, such as heart problems, and Adderall adds all the more to the mix, such as the risk of chemical dependency”( Christopher Wanjek, December 9, 2008, Para.2). In addition, to harmful affects the

Students go through rigorous course that take a toll on the mind and homework also affects the body too. For example, for some students, college is already difficult because they struggle. Students taking many courses tend to pull all-nighters because they attempt to finish all the work assigned to them by professors. The students’ body require a certain amount of rest. The body doesn’t rest because it the student is busy trying to stay up to finish homework. It is important for students to be able to rest and if they are busy worrying about homework students will fail. This immeasurable amount of homework is putting at risk the health of many

Stolz explains that college students across the U.S. are taking advantage of the black market from the stimulate and using it as a study drug (2012). With easy access, students have no issue finding a source, whether it’s illegally from someone willing to sell their own prescription for quick cash, or getting it wrongly prescribed from a clinic (Stolz, 2012). Health clinics in colleges are a convenient source of medical care, but they are also providing an effortless opportunity for any student to obtain a prescription through misdiagnosis. Stolz (2012), discloses that students in college are able to simply walk in without an appointment, mention a few key symptoms such as trouble focusing and conveniently acquire a prescription for Adderall. The on-campus clinics eliminate the need for appointments and advanced prolonged testing with psychiatrists allowing the students to receive an ADHD diagnosis easily (Stolz

Years ago, the common image of an adolescent drug abuser was a teen trying to escape from reality on illegal substances like cocaine, heroin, or marijuana. Today, there is a great discrepancy between that perception and the reality of who is likely to abuse drugs. A teenage drug abuser might not have to look any further than his or her parent’s medicine chest to ‘score.’ Prescription drug abuse by teens is on the rise. Also, teens are looking to prescription drugs to fulfill different needs other than to feel good or escape the pressures of adulthood. Teens may be just as likely to resort to drugs with ‘speedy’ side effects, like Ritalin to help them study longer, as they are to use prescription

This is not much of a surprise since the rate of teen and children opioid users are on a continuing rise in the United States (Mills para 1). Per Pannoni’s article “High Schools get Frank with Teens on Heroin Epidemic”, the rate has nearly doubled since 2002 (Pannoni para 1). Alcabes use his personal high school narrative to show that it is not uncommon for students to use opioids/psychoactive medications to help them throughout the day. The normal acceptable usage is shown in Alcabes himself while abusive use is shown in his classmate who raids his parents medicine cabinets every morning before school. This opioid epidemic is a problem for children and adults. According to Curtis Mills in his article “opioid Epidemic takes a toll on U.S. Children, teens”, most poisoning among teens result from accidental overdose but some have been a suicide attempts and that teens use opioids to get high like any other recreational drugs they use (Mills para. 6). Alcabes tries to explains what addiction is as well as explains the multiply other issues that come along with

The misuse of "study drugs" can lead to addiction. In the article “Adderall Abuse Alters Brain, Claims a Young Life," Susan Donaldson James claims that, "Adderall, is a highly addictive drug that works' on the brain like cocaine or methamphetamine" (James 7). This point, which is supported by research shows people that Adderall is as addictive and dangerous as mainstream drugs. If someone takes Adderall without ADHD, they risk addiction because Adderall has the same effects on the brain as cocaine or meth. This argument proves that the addiction of Adderall is as severe as typical drugs. James then claims that "study drugs" trick’s the brain to think that it does not need to make dopamine (James 8). This statement, supported by a research done

Prescription drug abuse is a problem that is not just focused on adults. There has been a substantial rise in prescription drug abuse among teenagers. Teens are abusing prescription drugs for a number of reasons, including to get high, pain treatment, and/or because they think that it will assist them with school work (Coalition against Drug Abuse, 2014). However boys and girls tend to abuse some types of prescription drugs for different reasons. For example, boys are more likely to abuse prescription stimulants to get high, where girls would abuse them to stay alert to study or for weight loss.

In Dr. Keisha Ray’s essay entitled, Not Just “Study Drugs” For the Rich: Stimulants as Moral Tools for Creating Opportunities for Socially Disadvantaged Students, she argues that we are morally obligated to consider whether or not stimulants can be used to improve the circumstances of children that are underprivileged as a result of social and economic inequality. In this paper I will focus on the value of education and whether stimulants will actually improve the experiences of disadvantaged students and the education that they receive. First, I will elaborate on Ray’s arguments for the use stimulants and her present her premises. Then, I will describe the purposes and benefits of education according to Ray. I will differentiate between the intrinsic good of education and the competitive value of education. By differentiating between these two forms of education, I will argue that stimulants will not actually remedy the lack of opportunities available to disadvantaged students because stimulants can not effectively reduce opportunity or social gaps on a systemic level.

Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic across the United States, destroying and affecting many lives of young Americans. Why do so many people abuse prescription drugs? Many think that prescription drugs are safer and less addictive than “street drugs.” After all, these are drugs that moms, dads, and even kid brothers and sisters use. The dangers are not easily seen, but the future of America’s youth will soon be in severe danger if the problem is not addressed. It will continue to get worse if action is not taken soon. Prescription drugs are only safe for the individuals who actually have prescriptions for them because a doctor has examined these people and prescribed the

Scientists who published a new study concluded that about 1.6 million teenagers and young adults had misused these stimulants during a 12-month period and that 75,000 showed signs of addiction (Vedantam, S. 2006, Feb 25). Many young people use these drugs to improve their academic and professional performance. When you need to study before exams, you take some stimulants to increase alertness and attention. People become addicted to them and some have toxic effects. If you get addicted while you are a student in school or college, it can lead to greater problems, you can be excluded from educational institutions. Young adults 18 to 25 years old are more often having stimulant misuse problems than teenagers. Both men and women are equal in drug misuse, but women are at greater risk of dependence, they have a lack of control, while men are at greater risk of abuse.

Thesis Statement: When the projects, exams, and extra-curricular activities start to pile up on one another it seems as though there is not enough time in the day.  This is when college students tend to lose precious hours of sleep and the consequences can be costly.

1. Sub Point: Baylor University does a nice job of summing up student motives of such drastic behavior in its 2005 article “Study Drugs Still Popular despite Health Risks”.

No one would choose to wake up sick every day, having to worry about how they are going to get their next fix just to feel normal. People choose to try drugs every day but they don’t try drugs with the intention of becoming addicted or to incur any of the negative consequences or effects, they try them to feel good or escape