'Study' Drug Dangers
posted 5:50 pm Mon September 17, 2007 -
-WJLA Script-
Anchor:
EMERGENCY ROOMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE WITNESSING A DISTURBING TREND - STUDENTS WITH ELEVATED HEART RATES AND OTHER SIDE EFFECTS FROM THE MISUSE OF SO-CALLED STUDY DRUGS.
THEY'RE DOWNING STIMULANTS LIKE ADDERALL, RITALIN, AND CONCERTA TO HELP THEM FOCUS AND KEEP THEM AWAKE FOR DAYS.
ANDREA MCCARREN IS HERE TO TELL US ABOUT SOME DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES PARENTS AND STUDENTS MAY NOT REALIZE.
Andrea on camera:
IN CONNECTICUT, THREE STUDENTS REPORTEDLY OVERDOSED ON ADDERALL.
IN CALIFORNIA, ELEVEN STUDENTS WERE HOSPITALIZED AFTER TAKING TOO MUCH RITALIN.
THE DRUGS ARE USED TO TREAT ADHD, BUT EVEN WITHOUT A PRESCRIPTION, STUDENTS SAY IT'S EASY TO BUY THEM FROM CLASSMATES.
Story:
Unidentified student: "I stayed up 52 hours one semester, straight."
SHE'S A WASHINGTON-AREA LAW STUDENT TAKING SIX CLASSES AND WORKING AN OFF-CAMPUS JOB UP TO 30 HOURS A WEEK. WHEN FINAL EXAMS APPROACH, SHE TRACKS DOWN ADDERALL - EVEN THOUGH SHE DOESN'T HAVE A PRESCRIPTION.
Unidentified student: "When I take Adderall, I notice that I'm able to stay awake and alert and fully functioning throughout the night."
STUDENTS INSIST IT'S EASY TO PURCHASE THE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS ON CAMPUS, FOR AS LITTLE AS FIVE DOLLARS A PILL TO AS MUCH AS 20-DOLLARS DURING FINALS.
ADDERALL APPEARS TO BE THE DRUG OF CHOICE, SINCE IT'S FASTER-ACTING THAN RITALIN.
Lohr Beck, first-year student: "A lot of kids did it. A lot."
THESE COLLEGE FRESHMAN SAY THEY'VE NEVER TAKEN STUDY DRUGS, BUT MANY OF THEIR *HIGH SCHOOL* CLASSMATES DID.
Lohr Beck, first-year student: "At my high school one of my best friends was on Adderall for ADHD and he would sell his Adderall pills to anybody who wanted to take them for a big test or like the SAT or stuff like that."
Patrick Hanley, first-year-student: "It was really more of a psychological reliance because they felt like they needed them before they took any kind of a test or they worked on a large project."
Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse: "When used inappropriately, they can actually lead to addiction."
DR. NORA VOLKOW SAYS THE MISUSE OF THESE DRUGS CAN ALSO CAUSE HEART PROBLEMS AND ARE ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN COMBINED WITH ALCOHOL OR OTHER MEDICATIONS.
Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse: "Some kids take the tablets and crush them and then they snort them. Or some inject them. You just know that it has to be bad for you because it significantly alters the way you act."
EVEN THOUGH THIS STUDENT DESCRIBES HERSELF AS DEATHLY AFRAID OF THE SIDE EFFECTS, IN HER HIGH-PRESSURE ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT, SHE'S COMPELLED TO KEEP USING.
Andrea McCarren: But it's worth it?
Unidentified student: "Yeah. Oh yeah."
Andrea on camera:
SEVERAL STUDENTS TOLD US IT WAS EASY TO FEIGN THE SYMPTOMS OF ADHD AND GET A PRESCRIPTION.
AND THEY MAY VIEW SHARING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AS SIMPLY HELPING THEIR FRIENDS, BUT TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, IT'S A FELONY.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT DRUG ABUSE, CLICK HERE.
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