Students Wrongly Think Taking Certain Drugs Can Improve Grades - East Idaho News
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Students Wrongly Think Taking Certain Drugs Can Improve Grades

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Getty 031215 CollegeDrugs?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1426182199558iStock/Thinkstock(COLUMBIA, S.C.) — Recreational drugs have been on college campuses for generations but one group of stimulants has become increasingly popular in recent years to boost academic performance, or so students think.

Based on a meta-analysis of 30 articles on the subject, University of South Carolina researchers Kate Flory and Kari Benson concluded that 17 percent of all college students — that’s one out of every six — have used Ritalin, Adderall or similar medications in order to improve their focus while studying.

However, Flory and Benson say there is no proof that these Schedule 2 controlled substances, which are used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, can help to improve grades and speculate that overusing these drugs may actually lead to poorer performance.

To a lesser extent, Ritalin and Adderall are also used recreationally, often because, like cocaine and methamphetamine, they enable students to party longer while consuming more beer, wine and hard liquor.

Benson says this is a dangerous combination because it can result in alcohol poisoning.

Another finding of the study is that most times these drugs are obtained through friends, who are prescribed them for legitimate reasons.

However, not only is this against the law, but it endangers certain users who could have far different reactions to the drugs than what they are intended to treat.


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