In a recent story from Details, according to a recent study done in Germany, cannabis may have the ability to treat ADD and ADHD. The cannabinoids in weed possibly correct dopamine shortages in the brains of people with ADHD by increasing the availability of dopamine. According to the case report, the people in the study reported “improved concentration and sleep” and “reduced impulsivity.” Conventional medication such as Adderall that treat ADHD are different by binding to the dopamine and interfering with the metabolic breakdown of dopamine. Cannabis and Adderall have similar effects on the user but just do it in different ways.
One thing that cannabis and Adderall have in common is that they are both the most common drugs that university students indulge in. Substance abuse among university students is nothing new. According to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, abuse of prescription drugs is second only to abuse of marijuana.
Adderall, Ritalin, and Vyvanse, common prescription ADHD medication, are gradually becoming popular among college students who don’t have ADHD. According to the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health report, full-time college students were twice as likely to have used Adderall non-medically as their equivalents that are not full-time students. Some researchers estimate about 30% of students use these stimulants non-medically. A study presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in 2014 found that nearly one in five students at Ivy League colleges reported misusing prescription medication to help academically. According to a survey done by an alumni Kevin Handerhan in 2013, 13.6% of Carnegie Mellon students have at least once used Adderall or a similar substance under non-medical conditions. However, according to the same survey, 82% of the sample of CMU students who took the survey said they have never used psycho-stimulants for any reason and roughly 60% said that it was unacceptable to utilize psycho-stimulants as an academic improver.
However, even as this behavior continues, there is little conversation on college campuses as to whether this constitutes as cheating. Students say that they take these stimulants for the “right reasons”, stating those reasons as being more productive in classes and to stay afloat in a sea of intense competition. The mentality that the ends justify the means keeps prescription medication popular and since it’s relatively simple to obtain, illegality of use often does not cross students’ mind.
In addition, weed has slowly becoming more widely accepted and less stigmatized. There are many states on the verge of legalizing it and it is even a topic to be had during the 2016 presidential election and discussed whether this should be a state or federal issue. Within the next year, it is very likely that maybe ten more states will have legalized recreational marijuana. This is due to increasing support within the state, gradual decriminalization of marijuana, and more backing in the medical community. Other reasons include the tax benefits, the job prospects and the reduction of people that go to jail simply for owning marijuana. While support can be found among liberals and some libertarians, conservatives still are against marijuana. Most of the GOP candidates would prefer not to have marijuana legalized.
Overall, the legalization of marijuana and the ethical reasons behind Adderall are indicating a social change in how these drugs affect society as a whole and affect college campuses. How much the government regulates and what they choose to regulate may affect what’s more accepted at universities and how drugs, prescription and non-prescription, play a role in the competitive culture in higher education.