GAINESVILLE, Fla. ---Two-thirds of young people surveyed said the use of prescription stimulants is a moderate-to-large problem among youth, according to a new University of Florida study. Nearly 15 percent said they had used a prescription stimulant, the study shows, and almost 12 percent reported diverting medications by giving their stimulants to a peer or taking someone else's pills. The National Monitoring of Adolescent Prescription Stimulants Study involved surveys of more than 11,000 youth ages 10 to 18 from urban, rural and suburban areas in and around 10 U.S. cities. It is the first national study to monitor prescription stimulant use in both preteens and teens, including non-medical use, with significant details for each topic. The study findings appear in the September issue of the journal Current Opinion in Psychiatry. Other studies have documented teens and college students using prescription stimulants non-medically as "study drugs" to enhance concentration. Stimulants such as Ritalin, Adderall and Concerta are typically prescribed to help patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder stay focused and to control behavior problems. But when the drugs are taken incorrectly or without a prescription, they can increase blood pressure, heart rate and body temperature and decrease sleep and appetite, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. At high doses, they can lead to cardiovascular problems. https://ufhealth.org/

• published: 04 Sep 2013
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