Is school boring? Yes! Do you find yourself daydreaming in class? All the time! Do you feel that this affects your grades? Hell yeah! Great, as a respected doctor I’m going to diagnose you with a disease called ADHD, and based on your answers I’m going to prescribe you with a daily dosage of a drug called Adderall. Sound good?

Adderall is often prescribed to treat ADHD and sometimes narcolepsy. A combination of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, Adderall is a powerful stimulant that improves focus and increases attention span. While this may sound like the answer to all your prayers, much the same could be said about illegal drugs like cocaine and speed.

What makes Adderall acceptable and seemingly safe is the fact that it is being prescribed by medical doctors. Side effects range from headaches and insomnia all the way to hallucinations and dangerously high blood pressure. Make no mistake about it, Adderall is a serious drug that, like cocaine, has been deemed a schedule II drug by the DEA. This means that according to the DEA Adderall has a high potential for abuse and can lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.

According to a study done by the Journal of American College Health two thirds of all college students are offered Adderall or other stimulants by their senior year. Many of these students don’t have symptoms of ADHD and use Adderall to study or to stay awake to party all night. This is especially dangerous as mixing amphetamines and alcohol can cause serious health problems.

What may be most alarming about this stimulant is that children as young as 4 are being diagnosed with ADHD and prescribed Adderall. Our parents and grandparents faced the ruler when they didn’t pay attention in class. Our generation is given drugs.

Since its beginning in 1996 usage of Adderall has tripled and continues to increase every year. This raises the question: Is the answer to the increase of attention deficit disorder really more drugs? In a growing world of 7 billion and counting, America’s population accounts for only 5% of all humans and yet consumes more than 50% of the world’s pharmaceuticals and an astounding 80% of the world’s prescription narcotics. These shocking statistics leave the United States with the largest number of deaths due to prescription abuse at 106,000 every year.

While Adderall is not as dangerous as some prescription drugs like OxyContin (heavy painkiller) or Prozac (depression medication) it can be argued that it can serve as a gateway to heavier medication.

As a college student without ADHD I have taken Adderall in both a festive and academic setting. It is a drug and it does stimulate your brain but like many other mind altering substances when you come down you want more. I’m not saying it won’t get you ahead, because it can; I’m saying be careful where it takes you.