2000+Word+Essay

=Smart Drugs: The Rise of Prescription Drug Use in Academia =

====Smart drugs, study drugs and cognitive enhancers, no matter what you call them, they all have the same effect. This category of so-called "Academic Steroids" consists of stimulants such as Adderall, Ritalin, Modafinil, Provigil, etc. among other drugs which are most commonly used to treat disorders such as ADD and ADHD. An increasing number of high school and university students have taken up the use of such prescription medication as a means to improve focus, alertness, and memory, and thus ameliorate academic success. Smart drugs are also known as "nootropics", a term "coined by Giurgea in the 1960s to refer to drugs that facilitate learning, improve memory, increase the recall of materials, previously learned and protect the brain from 'physical and chemical intoxication'" ( [|Canterbury and LLoyd, 3] ). According to Dr. Eric Helligenstein, head of psychiatry for the University of Wisconsin health services, “they're performance enhancing drugs" ( [|ABC News] ). As there haven't been any long-term clinical trials in students, we don’t really know for sure if “smart drugs” actually improve academic performance. However, “nootropic drugs have been shown to be effective in improving psychometric and neurophysiological function in clinical trials for elder patients who had mental decline and have been demonstrated to increase memory and learning time in mice in a number of studies… Yet, the actions of a number of cognitive enhancers are unpredictable in humans” ( [|Canterbury and Lloyd, 3] ). ====

====As of recently, smart drugs have not been limited to student use. Even those in the workplace are turning to these stimulants to stay atop their hectic schedules. Students have turned to these drugs in order to boost their academic careers. According to a Harvard student in an article taken from //The New Yorker//, many academics who take these drugs aren't necessarily aiming to be the best, since "a t the most basic level, they aim to do better than they would have otherwise ([|Talbot]). By consuming these smart drugs, they are able to juggle much more than their classmates without becoming tired or frustrated. Many users feel these smart drugs give them an advantage - in both school and work. Unfortunately, some also believe that since these drugs are prescribed to patients with ADD, ADHD and various other disorders, they are safe for all to consume. The teens consuming these smart drugs believe the mental stimulation they receive is indeed medically safe ( [|Office of National Drug Control Policy] ). This is quite the contrary since "an FDA warning on Adderall’s label notes that 'amphetamines have a high potential for abuse' and can lead to dependence. (The label also mentions that adults using Adderall have reported serious cardiac problems)" ( [|Talbot] ). According to a recent study, "when teens abuse prescription drugs, they often characterize their use of the drugs as responsible, controlled or safe with the perception that the drugs are safer than street drugs" ( [|Office of National Drug Control Policy] ). Elizabeth Dowdell, associate professor in the college of nursing at Villanova University in Pennsylvania states, "Drug use in the adolescent population is not new but how they view drug use [is]" ( [|The Christian Science Monitor] ). ====

====This trend of using drugs to stay focused and alert for academia has been around for ages. According to an article from //The New Yorker//, French existentialist philosopher, Jean-Paul Sartre "dosed himself with speed in order to finish 'Critique of Dialectical Reason'" ( [|Talbot] ). The reason there is currently a shift from illegal street drugs to prescription medication is because they’re easier to get. Beginning in the 1980s with the FDA's approval of AIDS medication, the drugs that thereafter became widely available for sale on the street were non-medically used as "intelligence boosters" ( [|Canterbury and Lloyd, 2] ). In a 2006 study, "the majority of [American] teens (13.4 million) agree that prescription drugs are easier to get than illegal drugs" ( [|Office of National Drug Control Policy] ). These medications are so widely prescribed by doctors that "the majority of teens get prescription drugs easily and for free often from friends or relatives" ( [|Office of National Drug Control Policy] ). For example, many students who legally obtain prescription drugs for a personal medical condition experience the negative side effects like nervousness, headaches, insomnia, psycho-motor agitation, nausea, gastrointestinal distress, and decreased appetite, etc. and therefore do not always consume their entire prescription. This causes an opportunity for others to obtain the drug. A college senior states, “I usually give it to my friends” ( [|Trudeau] ). In addition to receiving the drugs off friends and family, prescription medications do not necessarily have to be obtained from doctors or "dealers" since they can also be purchased over the internet. ====

====The current prescription drug situation is dire. "In 2005, 2.1 million [American] teens abused prescription drugs" ( [|Office of National Drug Control Policy] ). Prescription drug addiction among teens is on the rise and now that these drugs are being used for academic gain, the numbers are simply going to continue climbing. According to a 2006 American study, "within the the last 10 years, the number of teens going into treatment for addiction to prescription drugs has increased by more than 300 percent" ( [|Office of National Drug Control Policy] ). ====

====People of all ages have fallen victim to prescription drug abuse. For our research purposes we will be focusing on how “smart drugs” affect academia. The primary stakeholders are thus the students themselves. Due to hectic lifestyles, school pressures, both academically and socially, and family, students have become the most vulnerable demographic. The use of prescription drugs has created a transition from healthy academic competition, to what is becoming a deadly issue. This is because “non-using” students feel it is necessarily to keep up with those students who are using cognitive enhancers in order to do well. Another prominent issue is the manner in which students view prescription drug use. A false conception that over-the-counter medication is less addictive and harmful than illegal substances is circulating in school environments. According to a 2006 study, “teens are abusing prescription drugs because they believe the myth that these drugs provide a medically safe high” ([|Office of National Drug Control Policy]). ====

====The second stakeholders are medical practitioners, as they are the ones prescribing the medication, thus making it readily available for student consumption. There is a prescription quota that many doctors attempt to fulfill, creating a willingness to distribute medications that are often unnecessary. Doctors may also have relationships with pharmaceutical companies, which enhance the desire to fill quotas. Estimates claim that 7 billion dollars is spent annually on “direct-to-physician” marketing by pharmaceutical companies ([|Gombossy]). There have been several documented cases where doctors have been charged and imprisoned on drug charges due to over-prescribing. This is seen in the case of Dr. Ronald McIver who was arrested for over-prescribing pain medication such as OxyContin to his patients. As previously mentioned, this creates a market for patients to distribute the medication to wiling consumers, like desperate students. ====

====Lastly, schools, relatives and friends are the final stakeholder with influence on the matter. Such stakeholders are viewed as vehicles for pressure. Not only do students feel obliged to succeed academically, but succeed in other areas of life as well, take jobs or careers as an example. There is a correlation between over-the-counter drug use and such applied pressures, resulting in prescription drug abuse. Unfortunately, schools and relatives are relatively unaware of the progressing issues, making their position irrelevant in aiding prevention and recovery. Schools in the UK have however become more recently involved, considering testing for “smart drugs” before examinations. Whereas schools and relatives are simply uninformed, peers on the other hand may in fact encourage the illegal use of cognitive enhancers. ====

====We are currently living in an information dominated society. The required access of knowledge and the speed at which it is obtained, is at an accelerated rate. This fast paced society is difficult to keep up with, leaving many to straggle slowly behind. Students are especially impacted by this transition, struggling to maintain an upper hand on their life. Many feel as though their lives move quicker than their brains. Their solution: “smart drugs”. Unfortunately, according to Barbara Sahakian, a professor of clinical neuropsychology at Cambridge University, "Some students say they feel it is cheating, and it puts pressure on them to feel they have to use these drugs when they don’t really want to" ([|McGuinness]). ====

====In our current society, drugs are easier to obtain. Doctors are willing to prescribe prematurely; parents are unaware of the abuse and relatives and friends are likely providers. All these factors are thus contributing to the lack of knowledge on the issue making their loved ones more susceptible to drug abuse. ====

==== There is a correlation between lack of information about of use and the resulting dangers. As previously stated students believe these drugs are safer than most illegal substances. This may cause an increased use in dosage in over the counter substances, resulting in an even greater health risk. These drugs are also seen as gateways to harder and stronger substances such as cocaine and crystal meth. Many former addicts comment on the ease of transition between prescription medication to harder, illegal drugs (related YouTube videos found on wiki support this claim). ====

====Our group believes the growing problem of prescription drug abuse is a major concern in high school and post secondary education. We are trying to inform students of the health risks involved and trying to promote the idea that this problem is not something to be taken lightly. Prescription drugs have the same consequences and effects as illegal drugs. Individuals should not turn to these drugs to pull all-nighters, or increase memory. The use of these drugs is completely unnecessary for able students without preexisting medical conditions. Our group wants to make aware the dangers of “smart drugs”. ====

====Prescription drugs and their users are contributing an additional and unneeded stress to the already enormous pressure of university. There have even been studies that debate the unfair advantage these drugs create. Our group believes that drug use for academic purposes creates an undeserved gain for those users. ====

====We would like our target audience to develop an understanding of the significant side effects and addictive qualities of these “smart drugs”. We hope to educate students and thus decrease their illegal use of prescription drugs, especially for academic gain. We want to do this through “educational approaches and awareness activities… [which] show promise in the battle against prescription drug abuse among college students” ([|Higher Education Center and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention]). Through our advocacy campaign we hope to bring a large awareness to this issue. ====