We all know what it is and we all know what it does. I’m not going to talk about the 20 known sudden deaths that were caused by it. And I’m not going to talk about the 12 known strokes that also were a direct result. What I want to discuss is how the students of this university, valedictorians, athletes and good kids all around, have become completely addicted and reliant on a through-and-through drug: Adderall.
Even if you have never taken Adderall, or don’t currently, you definitely know someone who does. Said one student who asked to remain anonymous, “Going to such a competitive school, it can be quite challenging to have an active social life and remain on top of my studies. With Adderall, I can do both.”
In case you don’t know, Adderall is a mixture of amphetamines and dextroamphetamines served in pill form and prescribed to patients with ADHD. The result of its usage is anywhere from six to 12 hours of focus and energy. Because these two traits are essential to studying, the benefits of the drug are crucial to a wide range of students.
Unlike marijuana or alcohol, the drug is commonly used, usually by illegal means, by both students with an “active social life” and students who hardly go out at all. Those who best know the effects of the drug are also those taking it because of the incredible competition to do well and get into a prestigious graduate or medical school. One bio-chemistry student, who also wished to remain anonymous, said, “With every other student taking it, I need the extra leg up that Adderall provides just to keep up. A student that doesn’t take it is working with a major disadvantage.”
What is a non-taker of Adderall to do? While the amphetamines in Adderall accelerate the heart rate and can cause trauma to the heart and brain, these general negative side effects usually go unnoticed by users, marking the pill a miracle drug of sorts. Additionally, those selling the pills often have a prescription, creating an endless supply, a cheap price, and virtually no risk for selling or buying. In a completely free and open market, those taking it are using the equivalent of academic steroids without any sort of punishment or regulation.
What’s really interesting to think about are the long-term consequences of this school’s addiction. For those who cannot even complete a simple homework assignment without Adderall, this dependency will surely carry over into the working world, begging the question: Will it ever stop? With heart disease as prevalent as it is, there is no telling how the eventual consequences will affect our society.
One solution is to follow Canada’s lead and outlaw the drug entirely. While ADHD users would surely have a problem with this, the overall benefit to society might be worth it. Another more feasible solution would be to enact harsher laws over how often a user can refill their prescription. While this could potentially decrease a dealer’s product size, getting a prescription is often only a doctor’s appointment away, so this answer could prove worthless.
At a school as prestigious as UCLA, what will eventually come from a generation of kids reliant on drugs to pass a class? At what point does the need to do well actually hurt the quality and character of those getting the good grades and going to good graduate schools? At what point does competition actually hurt the competitors?
While marijuana and alcohol have been stigmatized ad nauseam in dorms and classes, prescription drugs have gone virtually unnoticed. Taking what is the equivalent of scholastic speed has become accepted and somewhat the norm. Until this school takes serious steps to stop this Adderall phenomenon, it will continue to give degrees to generations of unseen cheaters.
If you are shocked and appalled, e-mail Bromberg at mbromberg@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.