Abuse of Pyschostimulants

Thomas Pope

Class: Composition and Rhetoric

Subject: Abuse of Psychostimulants by Undergraduate Students

Date Written: 20 November 2014

Felina

“Why am I digging?” the addict asks. “You know why,” Jesse replies.” “How deep do you think it is?” “Pretty deep,” the addict says as Jesse hands him the shovel.

The addict is a methamphetamine addict, and displays a typical behaviour of methamphetamine users and amphetamine users alike: the reward system behind repetitive tasks. The ability to do “bland,” or ennui, non-creative tasks without taking a break. Methamphetamine use is characterised in Breaking Bad, where the aforementioned conversation originates, as destructive, with no constructive use outside of euphoria-chasing. This same life-altering drug, that in media turns every-day people into “skag-chasing” zombies breaks down to form another drug: amphetamine. Amphetamine has fourteen million prescribed users, though they are prescribed it under a different, much more well-known name: Adderall. It is prescribed for Attention Deficit Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and narcolepsy, increasingly common conditions in children and adults. Adderall has is a part of a class of drugs, that aren't just used to treat these disorders, but also to gain an advantage in school. The class of drugs, known as nootropics or "study drugs" have been growing in popularity as college admission standards and workloads have increased. An age of academic doping has begun.

The first issue with this rise in drug usage of adolescents and young adults for studying, is that these drugs (Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, etc.) fall under the Schedule II section of the Controlled Substance Act, and carry quite a hefty penalty. The selling and/or trafficking of said drugs can carry a sentence of 5-40 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. It's hard to imagine other Schedule II drugs being passed around the library: a kilo of cocaine in cut-out of a Beginners Guide to...