According to a report released late Tuesday, more middle school and high school kids are abusing prescription ADHD medications at the same time that more children in the US are receiving the diagnosis.
Details
As many as 1 in 4 students at some schools reported abusing the medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder the year before. It indicates that they used the drugs without a prescription from a doctor or for non-medical purposes.
The study’s primary author, Sean McCabe, director of the Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking, and Health at the University of Michigan’s School of Nursing, declared that the results “should be a major wake-up call.”
When we properly take them, prescription stimulants are both safe and efficient.
Drugs are beneficial if used correctly
According to McCabe, the pills “help millions of people” with ADHD, but it’s crucial to balance between the need for accessibility and lowering the likelihood of abuse.
The study’s conclusions were based on survey data from more than 231,000 eighth, tenth, and twelve grade students in more than 3,200 public and private schools throughout the United States. Researchers examined the
Survey data from 2005 to 2020.
Students misuse drugs in schools
Researchers discovered a 36% higher incidence of stimulant abuse among adolescents in schools where ADHD prescriptions were written.
The researchers also discovered that misuse was more prevalent at schools with more white kids or students whose parents had higher levels of education than in schools with fewer white students or parents with lower levels of education.
Parents to guide kids about drugs
The study’s author, McCabe, advised parents of ADHD patients to discuss medication management with their children, including what to do if someone else requests to take the child’s prescription.
He emphasized the need for intervention while children still viewed these substances as medications rather than illicit drugs.
