Are Drug Tests for Adderall Coming to a College Near You?

Students, including those at Depauw University in Indiana, have recently debated the use of Adderall on college campuses. According to Depauw's college newspaper , some argued that the use of Adderall could amount to academic dishonesty if students who used the drug or similar ones got better grades than students who avoided the meds.. Adderall use for college students has even been been compared to steroid use among athletes.

Now there is at least one congressional candidate, Bill Haas, who is in favor of legislation which would allow random drug tests for Adderall (Haas is seeking the Republican nomination for the 2nd District U.S. Representative seat) He suggested that college students should undergo random drug tests after viewing a recent 60 Minutes segment, noted here .

The segment highlighted the fact that between 34 to 60 percent of undergraduates either take Adderall or related drugs. A more shocking statistic? At least 97 percent are using the drug illegally or without medical supervision. This leaves only a minority of students who use Adderall by obtaining legal prescriptions or after getting a diagnosis of ADD, short for attention deficit disorder.

Should Adderall be Available to All Students?

Of course, with so many students taking Adderall (especially during exam week), perhaps the drug could be made available to all students, if only to level the playing field. But both Adderall and Ritalin have side effects, including weight loss, sleep problems, very little appetite and a risk of heart problems. Of all the side effects, heart problems can be the deadliest, but also the rarest.

But here's the catch - children and young adults who take ADD meds with a doctor's prescription can be screened for heart problems ahead of time. Those who take the drug without a prescription, perhaps by buying it from other students, may not know whether the drug could set off deadly heart problems. They are taking risks, however small.

Congressional candidate Bill Haas has raised the point that off-label use for Adderall should not be allowed at colleges which receive federal funds used for student financial aid. Relatively few colleges would be exempt from that status. At this point, the drug has not been approved for use on college campuses for off-label use, according to the information from Haas.

College Students Also Debate Use of Adderall

During a student debate at Depauw university, those against the drug compared it to steroids. Also noted were issues about whether all students could afford the drug. If not, those who took it could have an unfair advantage, (again, similar to athletes taking steroids to get maximum athletic results). Those arguing against the use of Adderall also noted the very real risk of side effects and problems with withdrawal.

The students at Depauw aren't the only ones questioning the use of stimulant medications during college. In the Bi-College News , those at Haverford and Bryn Mawr wrote that the illegal use of these drugs was becoming a "college staple." Some Haverford students wondered if using ADD or ADHD medications actually violated the Honor Code and- just like the Depauw students - compared the drugs to steroids.

There are numerous issues surrounding the use of of Adderall, Ritalin and similar drugs. Concerns continue to be raised about whether students are taking unnecessary risks in order to get good grades. Many drugs have side effects but the long-term use of these particular stimulant medications remains to be seen. Giving these drugs to students who have trouble focusing and are diagnosed with ADD or ADHD is a decision that has to be weighed against the potential for future problems.

In those instances, the benefits may outweigh the risks. But if a whole wave of college students who may not have ADD or ADHD use the drugs, is it worth the risk? These are issues which have been raised and debated by college students and covered by television news shows. Now legislation is being proposed by congressional candidate Bill Haas. Could government mandated drug tests be in the offing to keep Adderall out of the hands of college students who are using it without a prescription?

Resources:
Debate discusses so called "study drug" and effects, 4/30/2010, The Depauw
Congressional Candidate Wants Drug Tests for College Students, 5/2/2010, St Louis Globe-Democrat
Adderall Side Effects, Neuroenhancement and College Students, Associated Content, April 26, 2010
Is There Honor in Adderall? The Bi-College News Online, May 2, 2010