Prescription Drug Abuse Paper
Marc Boubelik
Engl 102 MWF 3:00pm
Yuan Ding
26 March 2012
Abuse of Prescription Drugs in the U.S. "Prescription drugs are the number-one drug problem that we face today," says David Rotenberg, executive director of the adolescent treatment center at the nonprofit Caron Foundation. "They are more widely prescribed, more widely available, and more widely abused by adolescents than they have ever been before."(DiConsiglio, 1) Abuse of prescription drugs is one of the fastest growing problems for young adults in the U.S. today. It is a concerning problem because of prescription drug’s widespread availability and little known negative side effects. Prescription drugs are being abused by many young adults and college students. This research paper will focus on the types of drugs abused, where these drugs are coming from and the reasons for abuse, and the dangers of unknown side effects of abuse. Many different prescription drugs are abused for academic purposes as well as recreational purposes. First let’s take a look at one of the most popular abused drugs, Adderall. Adderall is by definition a prescription stimulant. It is composed of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. It is normally prescribed by doctors to patients who suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and people who suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). To these patients, Adderall has a calming effect with an improvement in focus and can sustain attention for longer periods of time. Adderall comes is classified by two types, instantaneous release (IR) and extended release (XR). The first has a faster onset and is usually multiple doses are taken in a day. Extended is released in time controlled amounts and is usually taken at the beginning of the day. Adderall is cousin to such drugs as speed and methamphetamines. To adolescents without either disorder, the drug has a stimulating effect on the nervous system. It seems to increase focus and alertness in the abuser. “There are no hard
Engl 102 MWF 3:00pm
Yuan Ding
26 March 2012
Abuse of Prescription Drugs in the U.S. "Prescription drugs are the number-one drug problem that we face today," says David Rotenberg, executive director of the adolescent treatment center at the nonprofit Caron Foundation. "They are more widely prescribed, more widely available, and more widely abused by adolescents than they have ever been before."(DiConsiglio, 1) Abuse of prescription drugs is one of the fastest growing problems for young adults in the U.S. today. It is a concerning problem because of prescription drug’s widespread availability and little known negative side effects. Prescription drugs are being abused by many young adults and college students. This research paper will focus on the types of drugs abused, where these drugs are coming from and the reasons for abuse, and the dangers of unknown side effects of abuse. Many different prescription drugs are abused for academic purposes as well as recreational purposes. First let’s take a look at one of the most popular abused drugs, Adderall. Adderall is by definition a prescription stimulant. It is composed of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine. It is normally prescribed by doctors to patients who suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and people who suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD). To these patients, Adderall has a calming effect with an improvement in focus and can sustain attention for longer periods of time. Adderall comes is classified by two types, instantaneous release (IR) and extended release (XR). The first has a faster onset and is usually multiple doses are taken in a day. Extended is released in time controlled amounts and is usually taken at the beginning of the day. Adderall is cousin to such drugs as speed and methamphetamines. To adolescents without either disorder, the drug has a stimulating effect on the nervous system. It seems to increase focus and alertness in the abuser. “There are no hard