"Nonmedical Use of Prescription Stimulants.

" Nonmedical Use of

Prescription Stimulants (n.d.): n.

pag. Medicineabuseproject.org. Web. 8 Feb. 2017.

This journal article gives statistical information about the nonmedical

use of prescription drugs including Adderall and Ritalin. The articles included

statistics on the amounts of adolescents and college students using

prescription medication. It also explains where students are obtaining the

medication, either from an actual prescription or illicit sharing, selling, and

trading. Many students, from high school to college, feel that it would be

easy for them to obtain Adderall or Ritalin. The article explains the

characteristics and behaviors of students who use these medications, as well

as gives the truth behind myths. There is also a section with suggestions for

health care providers, parents, and college administrators on how to

discourage the nonmedical use of prescription stimulants, and encourage

safe practices. This source is credible because it is an excerpt from an

educational journal and it also cites all of its own sources. This article gives a

statistical background for my topic and enhances its credibility.

Yanes, Arianna. "Just Say Yes? The Rise of 'study Drugs' in

College." CNN. Cable News Network, 18 Apr. 2014. Web. 08

Feb. 2017.
 This articles focuses on the rise of study drugs in college, and

explains why college students feel that they need to take them. The article

does not promote the use of Adderall or Ritalin, but instead highlights the

reason for their popularity. Many college students feel like they are over

worked and over scheduled, and feel as if they are taking the drugs for the

right reasons. Students stated that the stimulants helped them keep up

with the intense competition of college and helped them stay more focused

and efficient. Alan DeSantis, professor of communications at the University of

Kentucky, conducted a research study and concluded that stimulation usage

is higher in upper classman. This article is important to topic because

explains the reason for the increased use of Adderall and Ritalin. College

students feel a lot of pressure in their everyday life and most of them dont

believe that taking these drugs are wrong.

Blair, Anthony R., "ADHD Stimulant Justi cation among College

Students." (2013). Undergraduate Honors eses. Paper 172. H

p://dc.etsu.edu/honors/172

This articles explains how and why college students justify stimulant drug

use. Its purpose is to understand ADHD stimulant abuse among college

students and why they are socially acceptable. College students do not

believe that Adderall is any worse that drinking coffee or taking energy

drinks, but the articles purpose is to show that these drugs are harmful and

addictive. College students use these drugs to prolong attention and stamina
during study time. The article goes into detail about how college students

justify using Adderall for academics and how social factors contribute to their

use. Along with explaining why it is used, this article also explains the

physiological effects of the ADHD stimulant use. These include increased

blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, and decreased sleep and

appetite. The article is important to my topic because instead of focusing of

statistics, its main focus is to explain why college students use them.

"Introduction to Adderall." Rise of the Study Drug: Adderall - Abuse by College

Students. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.

This article goes much deeper into the world of obtaining Adderall including

the black market and online drug deals over social media. It begins by

explaining the drug and the numerous ways it is taken. Then, it goes on to

explain the reasons that it is taken and the dramatic increase of consumption

over the years. Finally, it goes into extreme detail about how Adderall is

bought online in a black market. A website called silkroad.com cannot be

found by search engines and has previously been shut down by the FBI.

There are a lot fraudulent forms of Adderall sold, and some could contain

dangerous substances. The article also describes the acceptance of Adderall

on social media. It is normal for teens and young adults to openly express

their Adderall usage and even have drug deals online. This article is

important because it highlights the dangerousness of illegally obtaining

Adderall.
"Why Are College Students Taking So Much Adderall?" Cosmopolitan.

Cosmopolitan, 02 Feb. 2017. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.

This article explains my topic on a more personal level. The author

explains their addiction to Adderall while studying at Harvard. The author

explains that there were three types of people that took Adderall: the people

who took to cram during finals, the people who didnt care about school and

took it have the motivation for class, and the people who were obsessed with

academics and took Adderall regularly. The authors addiction began at 16.

They were worried about SATs and a friend introduced it to them. The author

would pay as much as $20 a pill and eventually faked having ADHD and was

prescribed Adderall after a five-minute doctors appointment. When the

author first began taking Adderall, it did everything that they expected, but

soon they were taking over twice the recommended dosage. They became so

dependent on Adderall that they could barely shower without it. Eventually,

the author became depressed and extremely anxious and was forced to

come clean about their addiction. It took the author months to overcome

their addiction, but they still achieved great things in school without

Adderall. This highlights the fact that even though Adderall helps people

study, it has negative effects on peoples lives and should be taken very

seriously.