Although Adderall use among University students is undoubtedly on the rise, the University should resist the urge to get involved in the personal matters of students. From coffee to Ritalin, college students have been using chemicals to improve academic performance for decades. The dramatic increase in Adderall users, while noteworthy, isn't a reason for grave concern. No one at U-M has died of an overdose on Adderall. It seems to us that this is more than conclusive to prove that students can be trusted to make decisions themselves.
We cannot underscore enough that Adderall use is a victimless action. In fact, unlike heavy alcohol use, the externalities of taking Adderall are, to an extent, positive. There will not be fights, loud behavior, or DUI's; rather, it will lead to more school work getting done. The University should seek to educate students about the effects of the drug, especially the possibility of dependence. More aggressive physical tactics, such as room searches or arrests, are an insult to individual responsibility. College students are adults and should have the responsibility of making the choices that regard their own bodies.
Although Adderall use falls beyond the administration's realm of responsibility, that doesn't mean students should use the supplement irresponsibly. The use of stimulants and amphetamines to improve grades isn't the safest choice someone can make: a reliance on stimulants can lead to high blood pressure, abnormal heart rate, addiction, and in extreme cases death. Once students realize how effective Adderall can be, many become convinced that they simply cannot study without it.
Tactics to combat Adderall usage must be different than those employed against other illicit drugs. Unlike marijuana, whose possession is almost always criminalized, many students legally possess and use Adderall. To expose those students who may already feel alienated because of learning disabilities, to scrutiny over their study habits could adversely impact their educational outcomes. While smiting the growth of illicit student drug use may (emphasis on may) be a meaningful goal, using searches that increase pressure for students already at the margins to added stress is unacceptable.
This is not to mention that any efforts to police dorms would likely be ineffective. Many students already drink in the dorms and even alcohol dense liquor bottles that should be easier to find than pill bills or bags of pills. There are also so many students who live off-campus that any preventative program, educational or punitive, would miss a large share of campus. Even those who would be exposed to programs while in the dorms are likely to dismiss any educational value of those programs once they move off campus.
The use of prescription drugs for recreational purposes or on a non-prescribed basis is a problem for University authorities, one that needs to be answered on a variety of platforms. But we caution against treating the use of prescription drugs like Adderall as a police matter. It has not happened yet, but unfortunately, is the default choice of authorities in fighting drug "problems." Rather, encouraging an increased awareness among students of the risks of using drugs not prescribed to oneself is the better option.
Let students take responsibility for themselves-they might surprise you.
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