The image of Study Drugs in US.
How does US see and shape the “Study drugs” phenomenon?
The term “Study drugs” refers to prescription drugs used to increase concentration for the purpose of studying or cramming. Study drugs are prescription stimulant medications that are used improperly by a person with a prescription or, more often, illegally by a person without a prescription. These medications are used to treat Narcolepsy, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), which affect attention span, impulse control, self-discipline, and hyperactivity in the case of ADHD.
Prescription stimulants include drugs like Ritalin, Adderall and Modafinil. Using or buying these medications without a prescription is illegal in USA as well as the sale of your own prescription. The main ingredient of Adderall is amphetamine, which is approved for long-term therapeutic use by USFDA (United States Food and Drug Administration). In many Asian and European countries Amphetamine is illegal and is considered Class B drug, therefore Adderall use is more concentrated in the US region as it’s considered monitored schedule II prescribed drug. It’s also more common to get diagnosed with ADHD, as the main tool used in diagnosis is just a clinical interview.
The misuse of stimulants is a growing problem on campus. Some students feel like everyone they know is using study drugs. They feel pressured to use them in order to ‘catch up’ with peers, others need to focus more or just feel stressed by the burden of the university workload. There are plenty of different ways to obtain Adderall and the most common one is asking from a friend. Are stimulants being more popular in US region? Is media talking about it? How do Universities, social media users and the advertisers depict it? The focus of this research is the perception of these drugs by the major groups, which are public newspapers, students, Universities and the advertising world.