A New and Growing Concern Over Adderall

New York, NYThe various risks associated with Adderall, including reports of Adderall heart attack, Adderall stroke and even Adderall death amongst patients prescribed the powerful drug for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are in themselves serious and disconcerting.

However, there remains a growing concern surrounding the effects of Adderall and drugs like Adderall. That concern relates to the impact on people for whom Adderall is not even prescribed.

To be fair, drug manufacturers design and produce medications to treat specific ailments and indications within the authority of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). And according to our regulatory and legal system, such drugs can only be dispensed by a licensed pharmacist at the behest of a medical doctor or health practitioner with the authority to prescribe.

Thus, drug companies have little control over illicit activity.

Nonetheless, any underground market that flaunts the law and puts these drugs into the hands of individuals for whom the drug was never intended in the first place does not discount the potential for adverse reaction such as Adderall heart problems in whomever ingests the medication, patient or otherwise.

There are plenty of examples of Adderall misuse.

A college student interviewed for the Ithaca Journal (New York 3/3/12) revealed the prevalence of misuse of drugs such as Adderall in an attempt to boost levels of concentration, or at the very least keep them awake for longer periods, when cramming for an exam, for example.

The interview was related to a documentary on perfectionism, not drug misuse. However, in a quest to be a model student—including involvement in every conceivable aspect of college life together with an expectation for good grades—many students are wont to turn to drugs such as Adderall in an effort to keep all those balls in the air.

One student admitted to taking Adderall without a prescription in order to cope with not only college life, but also his own expectations for himself.

This puts the student at risk for the various Adderall side effects, an issue that Senator Charles Schumer is conversant with. The New York Democrat recently announced a bill intended to crack down on the kind of prescription drug theft, regardless of the motivation, that surrounds the Adderall misuse issue.

Michele Calivia, administrative director for the Poison Control Center of Upstate New York, said in comments published March 8 in the Post Standard (Syracuse) that the number of prescription drug abuse cases reported to the facility has been growing steadily.

She identified Adderall as one of the most frequently abused drugs. Most of the cases end up in the emergency department of hospitals, she said.

Thus, Adderall effects can cross over from patients to non-patients, fostering not only greater concern but also the potential for additional Adderall lawsuits.