Drug Testing in Schools and Organizations: Addressing Adderall Abuse

[Evo]

presumes?

look, I'm not the one making an accusation of cheating, and i think a charge of cheating is pretty serious, especially in an academic environment. one of those aspects of cognition presumed there is also the illness these drugs are prescribed to treat: attention deficit. i know this is personal for you, and i don't want it to be. i just don't think that good evidence is being presented here that these drugs are giving non-impaired students a significant advantage over those without the drug who are also non-impaired.

It's not personal for me, I don't have ADD. Nice try at a failed personal attack.

Like I said "find something that says that drugs like adderal do not have these benefits to students that don't need them.

 

[Proton Soup]

It's not personal for me, I don't have ADD. Nice try at a failed personal attack.

Like I said "find something that says that drugs like adderal do not have these benefits to students that don't need them.

how about this?

J Investig Med. 2004 Apr;52(3):192-201.
Methylphenidate does not improve cognitive function in healthy sleep-deprived young adults.
Bray CL, Cahill KS, Oshier JT, Peden CS, Theriaque DW, Flotte TR, Stacpoole PW.
Source

University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610-1042, USA. cbray@ufl.edu
Abstract
BACKGROUND:

Abuse of methylphenidate, a treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, is reported to be increasing among students for the purpose of improving cognition.
METHODS:

A single capsule, containing methylphenidate (20 mg) or placebo, was administered to healthy young adults orally following 24 hours of sleep deprivation. Measurements included percent change in score from sleep-deprived baseline on four standardized tests of cognitive function: Hopkins Verbal Learning, Digit Span, Modified Stroop, and Trail Making tests. Measurements also included percent changes in blood pressure and heart rate from sleep-deprived baseline and plasma methylphenidate concentration.
RESULTS:

Differences in cognitive test performance were not observed between intervention groups. In subjects receiving methylphenidate, mean percent changes from baseline for systolic blood pressure and heart rate were increased relative to placebo between 90 and 210 minutes following capsule administration (maximum increases of 9.45% and 11.03%, respectively). The timing of peak differences in physiologic measures did not correlate with peak serum methylphenidate concentrations. Exit questionnaire ratings of "capsule effect" and perceived performance on the postcapsule administration of the most challenging cognitive test were both higher (p = .044 and p = .009, respectively) for the methylphenidate group than for the placebo group.
CONCLUSIONS:

Cognitive improvement among sleep-deprived young adults was not observed following methylphenidate administration. Benefits perceived by abusers may relate to increased confidence and sense of well-being, as well as to sympathetic nervous system stimulation. Moreover, methylphenidate administration results in physiologic effects that could be harmful to certain individuals.

PMID:
15222409
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

 

[KingNothing]

They check athletes for drugs that artificially enhance their performance, so I would not be against it in schools.

Do they? Actually, I don't think the schools do. I believe it's typically athletic commissions that do the testing. It would make zero sense to have the schools administer tests to their own athletes (and trust the results).

IMO, it's not only not the school's business, but it's not the responsibility to pay to have students tested. And why is it considered bad at all? I haven't seen anything citing negative long-term effects from short-term usage... Frankly we should encourage students to push themselves into becoming better students rather than telling them 'no' so that everyone else can stop crying about how unfair it is...

By the way, getting a legal prescription is easy as cake. I know a lot of people that used to get prescriptions both for themselves and to sell for some extra $$.

 

[Mororvia]

I don't think most people would use it during a test. Most people take it when learning material. Such a drug help people to concentrate longer and so they can learn more material.

It remains cheating, however.

Agree with statement one. Disagree with statement two.

I'm not going to try and influence folks over to my side as I think this is in the arena of opinion at this point and not so cut-and-dry as to be absolutely right or wrong. I shall go back to lurking the thread