Inside Adderall use at Vassar College

It's no secret that Vassar students use Adderall. But how much, why and with what frequency remains more elusive. In recent years, Adderall has attracted media attention for its usage as a non-prescription stimulant in workplaces and on college campuses. Several colleges and universities—among them Bates and Bowdoin Colleges and Brown University—have recently addressed the topic in their respective newspapers, and it seems every time midterms roll around at Vassar, murmurs of Adderall use are everywhere.

Adderall is a prescription pill whose clinical use is for the treatment of individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The pill—which belongs to the category of drugs known as amphetamines or, by its street name, speed—enhances these individuals' ability to focus and work efficiently.

It has been difficult for campus administrators to determine the extent of non-prescription Adderall use here at Vassar. Associate Director of Residential Life Richard Horowitz remarked in an e-mailed statement, "I can't say that I know Adderall use to be a serious problem at Vassar… We just don't know. [Compared to] the use of many other drugs it is simply much easier to hide…it takes a second to pop a pill and—even if witnessed—the observer doesn't know what the pill was. It can easily be done quietly, privately and quickly."

The Drug and Alcohol Education Committee conducted a survey in the spring of 2008 that suggests that the vast majority of Vassar students are not using the pill illegally; the study indicated that 10 percent of participating Vassar students admitted to having used non-prescription Adderall in the past. This 10 percent was made up of two groups: Three percent claimed to have taken non-prescription Adderall seven or more times per year, and seven percent admitted to taking the drug fewer than seven times per year.

Chair of the Drug and Alcohol Education Committee Renee Pabst wrote in an e-mailed statement that the Committee has "seen three different [versions of] Adderall misuse/abuse: [students who are using the drug] around exam time as a study aid, students who are using it as a stimulant to lose weight and those who use it recreationally. All present great risks, but the users have different motivations for using."

On the night of Wednesday, March 3 during the stressful season of midterms, The Miscellany News went to the Thompson Memorial Library to talk to students about their relationships, or lack thereof, with non-prescription Adderall. Reactions were mixed, and all students interviewed spoke on the condition of anonymity. Information from the visit suggested that Vassar students who use the drug without a prescription tend to do so habiutually: One group of students confessed to being on the drug at the time they were interviewed. Other students said that they sometimes took it, yet others had heard about it but had not once taken it, nor did they think any of their friends had.

Responses varied when students were asked if they thought non-prescription Adderall use actually improved their focus and productivity. One student proudly remarked that Adderall had changed her life, while another said that Adderall enhanced her ability to complete simple tasks, but was useless for more conceptual work. Pabst addressed this issue from a medical perspective in her correspondence: "The students who use it as a study aid are operating under the myth that it will improve their concentration and ability to study," she said. "Adderall is a stimulant, and when not prescribed to a student, it does not promote better cognitive ability, but it will keep them up longer. A common myth is that Adderall will improve concentration—that is only true for students who have ADD [attention deficit disorder]/ADHD."

To further complicate the question of the drug's presence on campus, there are students who are misusing their own prescriptions. One sophomore who asked to remain anonymous explained that she uses her prescribed Adderall when she goes out on the weekends: "It depends what you mean by recreationally. I am prescribed Adderall, but I take it pretty much every time I drink."

Pabst noted that mixing Adderall with alcohol "promotes cross-tolerance, which may lead to dependency on both drugs."

Whatever the reason for use, the dangers of non-prescription Adderall seem to be misunderstood among students. For this reason, Pabst underscored the following: "Whether a student is using this drug a few times a year for studying or recreationally, it is vital for them to understand the risks. For students who are not prescribed this drug, it can result in an irregular heartbeat, dangerously high body temperatures, and/or the potential for cardiovascular failure or seizures. Taking it over a short period of time can lead to hostility or feelings of paranoia."

If you are concerned about your or a friend's misuse or abuse of Adderall, the following campus organizations can be of help: Office of Health Education, Metcalf House Solarium: 437-7769 healtheducation@vassar.edu; Counseling Services-Metcalf House: 437-5700; Heath Services-Baldwin: 437-5800.