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Erin Lail Instructor: Malcolm Campbell English 1103 3 October 2013 Just Pop an Addy Dude There is a rapidly gro ing contro!ersy o!er the illegal abuse o" the prescription drug #dderall and other generic "orms o" this drug by college students$ #dderall is composed o" de%troamphetamine saccharate& de%troamphetamine sul"ate& aspartate& and sul"ate$ These ingredients aid in the increase o" e%tracellular le!els o" the biogenic amines dopamine& norepinephrine& and serotonin$ In other ords& #dderall is ta'en to help people stay "ocused and alert$ This drug is prescribed to people ho are diagnosed ith #ttention (e"icit )yperacti!ity (isorder *#()(+ and #ttention (e"icit (isorder *#((+$ This drug is !ery bene"icial i" used correctly by a prescribed person& but many college students that are not prescribed it use #dderall "or the rong reasons$ #dderall abuse starts hen it is ta'en "or reasons other than "or medical purposes$ The ,ation -ur!ey on (rug .se and )ealth *,-.()+ reported in 200/02001 that "ulltime students ages eighteen to t enty0t o ere t o times more li'ely to use #dderall "or recreational purposes than people the same age ho ere not "ulltime students$ 2outh su""ering "rom #dderall abuse are sub3ect to e%tremely harm"ul side e""ects$ The ma3ority o" people ho ta'e #dderall that are not prescribed to it start ta'ing it because they thin' that it ill help them be more "ocused or that it ill gi!e them more energy to do school or'$ -ome people are a are that side e""ects include a loss o" appetite4 they on5t be hungry hen they ta'e #dderall so its purpose is then

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eight control$ #"ter people e%perience the e""ects o" #dderall they may begin to li'e hat it does to their body& causing them to ant to ta'e it more$ This leads to addiction$ (r$ #lan (e-antis ho is a pro"essor at the .ni!ersity o" 6entuc'y conducted a recent study on a group o" 117 students in the southeastern region o" the .nited -tates$ 8hen these students ere inter!ie ed they replied to the 9uestions about #dderall abuse ith de"ensi!e ans ers$ The group o" students all used the same "our reoccurring arguments$ Their "irst de"ense as a compare and contrast argument$ The students compared the illegal use o" #dderall to the illegal use o" other :bad; drugs li'e mari3uana and cocaine$ The students said that they ere ta'ing #dderall "or the right reasons& li'e bettering their grades$ Many o" the students said that the illegal use as morally 3usti"iable because it as "or a positi!e outcome li'e helping them "ocus longer& study& and retain more in"ormation hile studying$ Their second argument as along the lines o" :all things in moderation;$ <y this the students meant that i" they didn5t use the drug a great deal it as harmless$ They belie!e that i" they aren5t :o!erusing;& the drug cannot ha!e any negati!e side e""ects on them$ Thirdly& the group claimed that they ere :sel"0medicating;$ They bac'ed up this claim by saying they already 'ne that they sho ed signs o" #()( and #((& so hy ould they spend !aluable time and money going to the doctor so they can be told something they already 'no = Their last argument as minimi>ation$ They belittled the situation to ma'e it seem better$ -ome students pointed out the "act that it is a drug prescribed by doctors and young children ta'e it so it can5t be bad$ One o" the male students argued that there as no societal harm in the dealing o" this drug illegally4 he said& :2ou don5t see people getting shot o!er this$; )e implied that the drug is harm"ul to no one in any o" the parties in!ol!ed$ -e!eral students made the claim

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that ta'ing the medication is almost the same thing as drin'ing a bunch o" co""ee& energy drin's& or an energy pill$ )o e!er& there as something lac'ing in all o" the arguments$ ,one o" the students had a clear understanding o" hat #dderall really is and hat it actually does to their bodies$ 8hile their arguments pro!ide insight on hy this drug is so commonly abused and is still on the increase& all o" their arguments can be countered ith stronger e!idence$ The students made no comments about negati!e side e""ects4 they said that they "eel great on it and didn5t ac'no ledge any o" the common side e""ects$ The use o" this drug has a long list o" minor side e""ects and ma3or side e""ects& reported by the Coalition #gainst (rug #buse$ -ome o" the minor side e""ects include: ner!ousness& restlessness& sha'ing o" a body part& headache& sleep di""iculty& changes in se% dri!e& nausea& stomach pain& dry mouth& diarrhea& constipation& loss o" appetite& and eight loss$ -ome o" the ma3or side e""ects include: pounding or "ast heartbeat& shortness o" breath& tiredness& sei>ures& ea'ness in arms or legs& di>>iness& speech di""iculty& chest pain& hoarseness& !erbal or motor tics& paranoia& hallucinations& aggressi!e beha!ior& changes in !ision& blurred !ision& mania& itching& s elling& hi!es& rash& and blistering or peeling s'in$ ?ust because drugs are made& regulated& or prescribed by a medical establishment doesn5t ma'e them sa"e$ The chemicals used in pharmaceutical drugs are potentially as dangerous or addicti!e as those "ound in uncontrolled substances$ There are e%tremely important reasons that prescribed patients can only be prescribed a month5s orth o" this medication at a time$ Comparing the illegal use o" a legal drug& to the use o" an illegal drug isn5t a strong argument$ There are going to be negati!e side e""ects to any 'ind o" drug e!en i" it is @(# appro!ed and can be prescribed by a doctor$

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The moderation argument becomes irrele!ant immediately hen you really thin' about it$ ?ust because you used #dderall hile not prescribed to it one time doesn5t eliminate the ris' "actors$ One time use and random use o" this stimulant can trigger the rupture o" an unstable heart$ Beople commonly thin' that& :It on5t happen to me$; There are also common misconceptions that authority "igures in the community are too concerned ith other illegal dealing o" drugs li'e mari3uana to orry about the illegal distribution o" amphetamines$ This assumption is "alse$ The "irst time distribution o" #dderall is attached to a mandatory "i!e0year "ederal sentence$ Moderation isn5t a "actor in these cases& there"ore ma'ing it an in!alid argument$ #()( and #(( are t o serious de!elopmental disorders and people should be better educated on hat they are be"ore they can diagnose themsel!es or try to sel" medicate$ This concept is dangerous$ This is another reason hy #dderall and other amphetamines are prescribed by doctors and regulated by a medical establishment$ It isn5t practical to classi"y an occasional concentration issue as a medical disorder$ 2ou can5t minimi>e a de!elopmental disorder to 3usti"y the right to ta'e a medication illegally because it is not ethically sound$ #nd the substance that you are abusing should not be ta'en lightly either$ #mphetamines ha!e a short term and long term a""ect on your brain$ The components that ma'e up #dderall and other generic "orms are not the same components that you5ll "ind in co""ee& energy drin's& or an energy pill so they are not comparable$ #dderall abuse amongst college students is a pre!alent issue and is increasing$ The (E8- Maryland Early (rug 8arning -ystem conducted sur!eys reporting bac' that #dderall as in the top three easiest drugs to obtain only behind alcohol and mari3uana$ # ma3ority o" the people sur!eyed said that the use o" prescription stimulants "or studying and to

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ta'e e%ams as idespread$ Many o" the common perceptions among these groups o" students are that prescription stimulant use is& :increasingly acceptable$ E!en some people5s parents 'no they use it to study and don5t e!en care as long as they5re getting good grades$;& :I "eel li'e using stimulants non0medically is becoming more socially acceptable$ It5s no longer a surprise to hear about& and people don5t seem to be concerned or "eel there is any medical ris' in misusing them$;& and :I don5t "eel li'e students ta'ing pills in order to help them hit the boo's and obtain good grades in our competiti!e uni!ersity system is such a bad thing$ I "eel li'e students ho are ta'ing them to drin' and o" course snorting them is a big deal$ Mi%ing chemicals li'e that could be !ery dangerous$; -ome o" the common reasons students reported "or consumption o" #dderall and other stimulants ere to help cram "or a test& ta'e right be"ore e%am to help "ocus on e%am& help study in general not including cramming& get e%citedC:up; "or a party& stay a a'e to drin' longer& increase the e""ects o" alcohol& stay a a'e to party longer& not including drin'ing& increase the e""ects o" other drugs& to deal ith depression& reduce an%iety& to lose eight& reduce inhibitions& get e%citedC:up; "or a sporting e!ent& help a'e up in the morning& per"orm better in athletics& and promote se%ual acti!ity *(E8- Maryland Early (rug 8arning -ystem+$ It is going to ta'e a areness and proper education about these drugs to change college student5s mentalities$