In recent years, the media has turned an eye to prescription drug abuse among high school and college students — particularly with amphetamines such as Adderall and Vyvanse, which are typically prescribed for those diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. MU is no stranger to this issue; as [our special report illuminates](https://www.themaneater.com/stories/2013/4/30/adderall-vyvanse-sales-increase-finals-approach/), illegal amphetamine use at MU is common, and it ramps up at the end of each semester.
There is no basis for us to give a totally accurate, comprehensive view of amphetamine use on campus. It’s a casual culture, though, with a wide range of uses. Some students may use stimulants at parties, some may use it for mood enhancement and some may use it for general productivity — normal (non-cram) studying, housecleaning and so on.
But where we want to focus is its use to boost academic performance and enable last-minute cram studying. It’s worth noting The Maneater editorial board isn’t exempt from this practice — we see the appeal and even the perceived necessity of amphetamine use, and some of us will readily admit to using Adderall or Vyvanse before an all-nighter of studying. We as a student body need to consider, though, what we are causing with the widespread use of amphetamines for academic gain, and why we are doing it.
To us, using non-prescription Adderall to remedy shortcomings in studying is reflective of a culture where many of us expect A’s and nothing less. We place such high importance on classes and exams — after all, this is our entire future, our careers, our incomes and livelihoods we’re aiming to accomplish — that we are willing to do pretty much whatever it takes to get that A.
This instinct isn’t individual, either. It’s competitive. When we take Adderall before a test, it’s to give us an advantage over everyone else — so, one by one, more students turn to stimulant use to get that advantage. That changes the academic standard. After a while, it makes more and more sense to place yourself on the same plane as everyone else. If your lab partner is taking Adderall, studying less and outperforming you, why _wouldn’t_ you take it?
It’s not too far off to assume most of us know someone who takes amphetamines, or someone who knows someone who takes amphetamines, so obtaining them isn’t as shady as with most drugs. But we’re still willing to risk years in prison — throwing away a big chunk of our future — in order to achieve a good test score, a grade. This is not to mention the risk of dependency and possible side effects of taking such drugs. Is this how far we will go to achieve modest gains on a test or paper? Apparently so.
This campus needs to address the shifting standards of academic achievement and the increasing acceptance of relying on stimulants to replace meaningful long-term studying. Why do we need to be performing at a level we aren’t mentally capable of performing at without illegally obtained stimulants?
The prevalence of using amphetamines for “academic enhancement” can call into question what qualifies a “situation worth medicating” and what doesn’t. If we have serious, consistent problems studying and focusing on school, we should consider our whole lifestyle and health. We should work on our study habits, build our time management skills and reconsider our priorities and commitments. After all, the “real world” won’t be like college — no monthly exams, no finals, no GPAs. If we rely on amphetamines to aid our last-minute cramming now, are we really developing a healthy work ethic to help us once we graduate?
We should think, too, about the consequences of “Adderall culture” — about whether we’re contributing to the frenzied culture of doing whatever one can in order get ahead. Using amphetamines for productive studying or exam performance is unfair to everyone who doesn’t. After all, it _is_ an advantage — and it’s a widespread advantage at that. The culture of stimulant use on campus has caused many of us to approach it not from the perspective of “Why should I?” but from the perspective of “Why would I not?”