http://www.redandblack.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/10/14/3f8b55e83c133
Students use, sell 'smart pill'
Contributed By MATT MONEYHAN
Published , October 14, 2003, 06:00:01 AM EDT
Editor's note: The names of the Adderall seller and user are assumed. The
students requested anonymity.
The prescription drug Adderall -- also known in slang terms as "smurfs,"
"bluies," "study drugs" and "smart pills" -- is used legally and illegally by
students to enhance their scholastic performance.
"Adderall helps most students with Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD) to control their attention and minimize their hyperactivity, both of
which increase the effectiveness of studying, listening in class and taking
tests," said Dudley Weems, director of Counseling and Psychological Services
(CAPS) at the University Health Center.
Kevin, a senior, sells Adderall on occasion and said the 10 milligram dosage
has a street value of $2 to $5.
"When people on this campus hear Adderall, they associate 100 percent study
time," he said. "Many of my customers are my friends, and I feel like I am
helping them out, however, I am profiting at the same time."
Weems said Adderall is a class II drug medication controlled by the Drug
Enforcement Administration.
"Taking this medicine illegally is a felony, as is selling the medicine; even
sharing it with friends is a felony," he said.
When asked about the risks associated with illicit Adderall use, Kevin and
Weems had varying opinions.
"I don't feel guilty about selling Adderall because I never see the negative
effects," Kevin said. "You cannot put a price tag on sending good grades to
mommy and daddy."
Weems said use of stimulant medication like Adderall may increase blood
pressure and heart rate.
"These medications have also been associated with sudden death due to fatal
arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms)," Weems said.
Despite the risks, some students use Adderall illegally to achieve success in
the classroom.
Thomas, a junior and user of Adderall, said he could tell a noticeable
difference in terms of how he felt when he was on Adderall.
"I guess it helped me with my schoolwork, but I definitely had an up and it
made me feel good," he said. "I know a lot of people in high school and college
use Adderall to study, but they have no idea that it is basically a mild
version of speed."
For students who may have ADHD, the process of legally obtaining the drug can
be cumbersome.
Weems said testing for ADHD takes about six hours of clinician time at CAPS,
and testing costs $280 for students.
"We currently have a two-month wait for testing in CAPS," Weems said.
But Kevin said he thinks most people probably know how to get Adderall without
a prescription.
"In groups of friends you have the guy with the cool car, the guy that is good
with the girls, the guy with cash; I'm the guy with Adderall," he said.
The one thing Kevin and Weems agreed on is that Adderall is not a magical drug
that creates 4.0 GPAs.
"Often taken without proper supervision, the students do poorly on tests
because of the lack of good preparatory study habits and lack of sleep," Weems
said.
"You have to make yourself start studying, Adderall will not do you're studying
for you," Kevin said.