During finals week, the recipe for academic success of some students no longer only consists of energy drinks and coffee. The ingredients now sometimes include a steady flow of prescription amphetamines.
Amphetamines such as Adderall or Ritalin, commonly used to treat attention deficit disorder, are becoming a more common part of student’s study diet. The prescription drugs increase alertness and focus while decreasing fatigue, according to Alicia Bourque, director of University Counseling and Health Services. They come in various shapes, sizes and colors based on the amount of milligrams packed inside.
Students quoted in this article have asked that their real names not be used to protect their identity, due to discussing issues such as the use of prescription drugs.
Natasha, a junior, relies on a form of these prescription drugs to concentrate more effectively on studying for her finals. She said the drug helps her cut down on procrastination, but notes that if she takes more than 10 milligrams at a time, the drug has harmful effects on her.
“Sometimes I wonder if I even need it,” said Natasha, who uses Adderall less than a handful of times during the year. “I’m a junior and I have a good GPA, so it’s not like I don’t know how to control my focus. But when it gets down to this time of the semester, I can’t take any risks,” she said.
Natasha is not the only student using these drugs during this time of the year without a doctor’s prescription. According to Tom, a freshman, Natasha represents a portion of the student body that uses prescription drugs during finals.
“There aren’t nearly as many students taking medication during finals as there are cigarette smokers on campus,” Natasha said. “It’s nowhere near that amount, but there are people who do take it.”
While Ritalin and Adderall remain prescription only, students are still findings ways to get their hands on the drugs. According to a study conducted at the University of Maryland in 2005, Adderall is the third most accessible drug on college campuses across the nation – the top two being alcohol and marijuana.
Natasha said that although she had access to her boyfriend’s prescribed medication, she never saw much difficulty in finding Adderall if she really wanted some.
“I think if you wanted it, you could probably talk to some people and someone will know someone who has it, if it’s not them,” Natasha said. “It’s not that hard, I think.”
Tom has been prescribed Adderall for ADHD for more than two years now. Since high school, students have approached Tom for medication, a trend he says hasn’t changed in college. “A lot of them (ask me for pills),” Tom said. “Especially during midterms and finals.”
There is no consensus on the number of students nationwide taking prescription drugs illegally; however, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 20.2 percent of college students had taken prescription drugs without a doctor’s prescription one or more times during their life.
“I’ve only anecdotally heard from students that this culture exists on campus, but I haven’t had any police reports or arrests related that would substantiate from a data standpoint that that culture has reached Loyola,” Bourque said.
One place students on campus will not be able to easily get this medication from at any point throughout the academic year is Student Health Services.
Bourque said she hasn’t noticed many students coming into the nurse’s office asking for the drug but even if they did, they would have to have an up-to-date psychological evaluation that substantiates the diagnosis.
If students do not have the up-to-date evaluation, Bourqe said they are asked to go off-campus to receive one or schedule a month-long evaluation here.
Tom doesn’t think prescription drug usage during finals is something unique to Loyola. “It’s a trend that is going on everywhere,” he said.
Craig Malveaux can be reached at [email protected]
