Why Doesn T Young Americans Have The Risk Of Getting Addicted?

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

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

In today's society, most people desire success. They want to attend a respected college, earn exceptional grades, get a wonderful job, and make a lot of money. However, the road to success starts before all of those accomplishments can happen. This journey begins in the classroom. In the classroom, over 25% of all high-school students fall asleep one or more times a week (Mayer-Hohdahl 1). Why does this happen? Schools have sleepy students because of their early start times. "Starting high school early is probably one of the worst things you can do as far as timing the day, as far as adolescents being alert or ready" (Wooley 2). This is a serious problem in high schools all across the nation. Students are tired, and teachers are

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

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

As stated in the article, "Adderall Abuse Alters Brain, Claims a Young Life" James claims “Selling or giving away these drugs may harm others, and is against the law, as well” (James 8). This claim, supported by FDA spokesmen, implies that the selling or giving away of these drugs without a prescription or right to do so is an illegal act. When these drugs are taken by college students who do not have a prescription, they are commencing in the act of buying and using drugs. These drugs are treated as illegal, just like mainstream drugs, not only will it risk health, but also if caught with these drugs it will have the same consequences. The article “Adderall Legal Status” by Addiction blog states that it is illegal to have or dispense Adderall without a prescription, and those who sell or use it illegally get penalized (Addiction Blog 2). This statement means that whoever uses Adderall without prescription is committing a crime which can be punished by law. This proves that taking Adderall without having the right to is an illegal act that can be penalized. So every time one takes this drug to improve their performance in college, they are committing a

Deemed as socially acceptable when used for non-medical reasons, prescription drugs such as amphetamines commonly infiltrate college campuses. As a college student, it isn’t uncommon to be overwhelmed with the piles of homework and tests to study for. It also isn’t uncommon to hear about students using non prescribed amphetamines such as Adderall and Ritalin to aide in the process of studying for big exams and finals. Although studies show that Ritalin and Adderall could be beneficial in small doses to treat children with attention deficit disorder, students that use large amounts of these

Marek Kohn states scientists analyzed study drugs "‘can affect memory with pharmacological agents, but the problem is keeping them safe' Robbins observes, 'because this Inverted-U-shape issue does give you the problem of possible epilepsy, convulsions and so forth'"(Kohn 13) Kohn states this fact to inform students that taking prescription drugs that are not meant for their bodies can lead to mental sickness.  This is a good piece of information because students will understand the effects and hazards they will encounter. Students will hear the legitimate health hazards rather than just being told that the drug is bad for them. If students are warned like this in public safety announcements more students will be less willing to take the drug. Although this statement will not stop students from taking the drug but statements like this can prevent more students from harming themselves. Knowing reasons and logic to an unanswered question is more reasonable because people then do not wonder about the possibilities. Another statement Kohn analyzes is the drug increases focus yet this reduces the ability to control your brain and does not help you do the work on your own in the long run. (Kohn 14) He show’s this fact so show that people get addicted and depend on the drug just like drugs like cocaine. This is very important because then students will understand that this prescription drug

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.

TV? Video games? Social media? Maybe, but the odds are just as strong that it is homework that has students burning the midnight oil. . According to the National Center for Education Statistics, students average three hours and six minutes of homework a night. This amounts to nearly half of the time students have at home between the end of school and bedtime. And in addition to contributing to a lack of sleep, academic obligations are a stressor of their own. According to health-line, seventy percent of students said that they are often or always stressed over school work and fifty-six percent listed homework as a primary stress. Another thing hanging over the heads of high school students everywhere are standardized tests such as the ACT and the SAT. As most students already know, scholarships are mostly based on grade point average, test scores, and financial need. Therefore getting through college is a nightmare slowly approaching because if students don’t have at least 2 of the three things mentioned, then there will be fewer scholarship opportunities.. The competition between students for these scholarships is very intense, but this is not the only thing happening between students.

When people start taking drugs, they don't plan to get addicted. They like how the drug makes them feel. They believe they can control how much and how often they take the drug. However, drugs change the brain. Those who use drugs start to need the drug just to feel normal. That is addiction, and it can quickly take over a person's life.

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