Ritalin -- Prescriptions Don't Seem to Matter for Some
As a street drug, Ritalin does have a few advantages, says Perrin. "It has relatively few side effects compared to some things teenagers use. So in that sense, a lot of middle-class teenagers think they will not only get high, but it might help them do better on a statistics test. There is a variety of reasons why at least on an anecdotal basis we know this has been a fashionable drug to try, but there is very little evidence in terms of scope."
Tracking the trend has been Thomas Clark, a research associate with Health and Addictions Research in Boston. While he's still compiling data from a recent survey, Clark suspects Ritalin use will be in the range of about 5% of 12th graders. "You always see higher use in most drug categories in ages 18 to 25. The trend tends to go up in young adults," says Clark.
"The under-25 age group are probably the ones abusing [Ritalin]."
Vital Information:
- Federal agencies report Ritalin, a prescription drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is becoming more popular as a recreational drug. It's one of the top 10 controlled prescription drugs reported stolen and has a high potential for abuse.
- Reports show parents are abusing the drug as well as teens. One expert notes legitimate Ritalin users usually are not abusers.
- Doctors add it's important to be careful who knows about a child receiving Ritalin by prescription, since others may try to gain access to the drug through the young patient.