One of the most dangerous drugs on the street is given to young school children every day

Adderall is arguably the most popular and most addictive of the ADHD drugs. Addicts cut across all layers of society. From struggling school kids to sports figures who make millions per year.

I recently had an ah-ha! moment concerning Adderall while listening to NFL Talk. The show’s host was interviewing a football player who the NFL suspended for using Adderall without a prescription.

The player explained that Adderall gives you energy. He said it’s just like drinking a Red Bull.

That reminded me of an article I read about a high school student who took Adderall to improve grades. He asked the reporter, “Isn’t it just like a vitamin?”

A vitamin? Uh… No. And it’s not comparable to an energy drink.

The NFL doesn’t suspend players for testing positive for Red Bull. And nobody pays $10 for a single vitamin pill.

If you do buy a pill, sell a pill, or even give a pill away, you’re committing a felony. But unlike hardcore street drugs, Adderall and other amphetamine-based ADHD drugs are available from any doctor.

Just tell your M.D. you feel sleepy and have trouble concentrating. You’ll probably walk out of his office with a prescription.

That’s one of the reasons why Adderall addiction is mostly flying under the radar, even while it’s exploding. And users are hurting. Side effects include depression, mood swings, heart irregularities, and psychosis during withdrawal.

Ten years ago, I first started warning about potential long-term effects of ADHD drugs. Ten years later, we’re seeing the impact. And something tells me the next 10 years will be really scary.

Sources:
“Risky Rise of the Good-Grade Pill” Alan Schwarz, New York Times, 6/9/12, nytimes.com