ALABAMA IS NO STRANGER TO ADDERALL ABUSE

By WVUA 23 Student Reporter Kailey McCarthy

Any drug prescribed for the treatment of attention deficit disorder is a hot commodity around college campuses, including the University of Alabama.

Dr. Patrick Atkins, a psychiatrist in Tuscaloosa, said he realizes many college students take to substance abuse when the workload gets off.

“People who abuse stimulants are going to be wired,” he said. “They are going to be staying up late at night. They will have racing heart palpitations, which can actually cause cardiac arrest.”

Courtney Hesson, a student at the University of Alabama, said she’s been prescribed Adderall since high school. She wants students to realize its a necessity, not a luxury for those with ADD.

“People just think that taking Adderall will give them an A, like it’s a magical drug,” she said. “It doesn’t make you any smarter.”