A juicy class project
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ORANGE JOURNALISM A juicy class project |
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The signs of the season are here, students walking wrapped in relaxed Many students illegally use the drug without a prescription in order to study or complete major assignments shortly before their deadlines. “I only use it for all night cramming sessions when I need to stay up, with six classes I just don’t have enough time to focus on all of them,” said SJSU junior Randy who wished to have his last name kept anonymous. The drug Adderall is a pharmaceutical psychostimulant amphetamine used to treat patients diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder or also known as ADD. The drug is also used for other psychological disorders such as narcolepsy and depression. The active chemicals in Adderall increase the delivery of natural dopamine and norepinephrine to the brain, therefore stimulating the brain’s ability to concentrate and focus without distractions. “It’s a lifesaver when I have to pump out an 8 page paper at two in the morning,” said an SJSU senior who wished to remain unnamed. “I pop a 10mg and it’s all good, the paper is done in no time and it’s not crap either.” The miracle blue pill is sweeping campuses across the nation, almost every student asked about Adderall has heard of the drug. According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse one in five college students have used or experimented with Adderall to aid their studies. This is due to the accessibility of the drug and many students said they could get their hands on Adderall within a phone call. “I can get 300 pills every month for only 10 dollars,” said an SJSU senior who wished to be unnamed. “When midterms and finals come around everyone asks for it.” With this type of distribution from pharmacies the ease of access and rates make Adderall a quick fix. Adderall comes in four different size dosages that range from five to 30 mg. As for street value, depending on the amount purchased the price can range from $2 to $10 for each pill. Almost every student who admitted to using Adderall to aid his or her studies was not diagnosed with any type of psychological or mental disability. So are colleges across the nation becoming more competitive, or are students just becoming lazier? One specific use of Adderall is to aid students in subjects that lack personal interest. Uninteresting material plays a major role in getting students on the drug. “I’m a business major and when I have to take my GE courses I don’t really care about any of the material in those classes,” said SJSU junior Garrett who wished to have his last name anonymous. “I’ve noticed over the last few semesters I’ve used Adderall to pass classes outside of my major, I can’t even imagine cramming for history classes without popping a pill.” Though students are making the grade successfully, repeated abuse over long periods of time can adversely affect the body. Adderall can cause side effects such as an increased heart rate, diarrhea, vertigo, and rare occasions of hallucinations. Though most students do not use the drug in hazardous amounts where harm to the body can occur, their use can cause a mental dependency. In the future some student will not have the study skills or habits to get by without being under the effects of Adderall. The amount of success that students benefit from by using Adderall can easily cause students to increase their use. “Once I’m done with school I’ll be done with Adderall,” said Garrett. “I don’t know anyone who uses it and is addicted, we just use it when the workload is too much.” Drug abuse counseling is available at the student health center for those experiencing any drug related difficulties. Related Links: SJSU health center http://sa.sjsu.edu/student_health/services/index.html FDA Adderall approval http://www.pslgroup.com/dg960222b.htm Back to Orange Journalism Home Page Orange Journalism: |
