Adderall abuse on Cal Poly's campus

Posted: Feb 8, 2013 11:19 AM by Connie Tran, KSBY News
Updated: Feb 8, 2013 11:51 AM

KSBY had a firsthand look at a dangerous and illegal trend on the Cal Poly campus: the abuse of the prescription drug, Adderall. It's supposed to be used by people who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, to help them pay attention and stay focused. Students say abuse, though nothing new, is more common than ever.

A biochemistry major, who wanted to stay anonymous, told KSBY, "I know it's not good for me, I mean, I see the negative side effects all the time."

This student looks like any other student on campus, but she opened up and said she is hooked, and dependent on Adderall.

"I can do homework without it sometimes, but I don't get the concepts as well. And sometimes I'll use it when I'm taking a test or a quiz, because it will help me remember the information that I was studying before," she said.

This student said she is not the only one on San Luis Obispo's college campus taking the blue amphetamine. She said it's popular among many of her friends too.

She explained, "I would say like 75 percent of them have taken Adderall to help them study."

She told KSBY that getting your hands on the pills can be simple, because many students who have a legitimate prescription, will sell the drug for a profit.

"It can get up to like $7 to $10 a pill, but sometimes it's like $4 or $5," she said.

Doctor David Harris, head of medical services at Cal Poly's Health Center, said he hasn't seen many patients come in because of abuse of the drug. But, he said those who aren't prescribed, should stay away. Misuse can cause weight loss, fast heart beat, mood swings, dizziness, and in extreme cases, death.

But this bio-chem student said those are risks that she's willing to take, to keep up her grades.

"I don't think I could get A's without it, at this point," she said.

The San Luis Obispo Police Department said this is a huge issue on Cal Poly's campus, and they are aware of it. They said anyone who sells Adderall can face felony charges.