Research Paper Outline

I.                   Introduction

A.      Hook: Both medical and nonmedical use of Adderall among college students has been drastically increasing in the past few years.  “Among persons aged 18 to 22, full-time college students were twice as likely to use Adderall® nonmedically in the past year as those who had not been in college at all or were only part-time students.”

                                                              i.      Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Nonmedical Use of Adderall® among Full-Time College Students. Rep. National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2009. Print.

B.      Thesis:  Although medical use of Adderall can effectively treat symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, nonmedical use of Adderall on college campuses has led to an unfair advantage in academic studies and an increased pressure to use Adderall for students.

C.      Implications:  The use of Adderall on college campuses affects everyone, not only the people who take the pill.  People using Adderall are able to focus more and have an unfair advantage in academic studies.  This increasing academic performance causes other students to feel as if they are falling behind and thus pressure them into taking Adderall, often illegally.  Adderall may seem like a harmless drug that is prescribed by doctors, but it can have serious negative side effects.  The problem of Adderall use on college campuses has spread throughout the country and is an issue in every college no matter the size. 

II.                 Background

A.      Brief History of Adderall

                                                              i.      What is Adderall?

1.      Adderall is a drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

a.       This drug increases focus, controls behaviors, and increases attention.

b.      Source: WebMd. "Drugs and Medication- Adderall Oral." WebMd Better Information Better Health. WebMd, 2005. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. <http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-63163-Adderall+Oral.aspx?drugid=63163&drugname=Adderall+Oral>.

2.     

Figure 1: A picture of Adderall pills. Digital image. Drugs Information and Facts Core, Information, Content Articles. 03 Oct. 2010. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://drugsbreeder.com/pure-adderall-solutions-analyzed/31/>.

                                                            ii.      What are the side effects of Adderall?

1.      Adderall can lead to a series of harmful side effects that can be very dangerous and even deadly.

a.       Some of these side effects include dizziness, trouble sleeping, blood pressure problems, vomiting, and others.

                                                          iii.      Precautions to note while using Adderall

1.      Adderall can become addictive if not taken as prescribed.

2.      The side effects of Adderall can be deadly.

3.      Adderall should only be used if prescribed by a medical doctor.

III.             Main Point One

A.      Adderall use has increased among college campuses as a result of school curriculum stress.

                                                              i.     

Figure 2: Stressed College Student. Digital image. College Fashion. College Fashion LLCC. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://www.collegefashion.net/college-life/6-tips-to-beat-final-exam-stress/>.

                                                            ii.      Students are illegally sharing and buying Adderall.

1.      The increased academic performance resulting from Adderall use perpetuates the illegal use of this drug.

                                                          iii.      Adderall not only affects the users, but also students who feel as if they are falling behind because they are not using stimulants.

IV.             Main Point Two

A.      One argument is that Adderall use is becoming a problem on college campuses.

                                                              i.      Nonmedical use of Adderall is not fair and a violation of the honor code.

1.      Using Adderall is college is like cheating in baseball by using steroids.

a.       Source: Carroll, Linda. "College Students Get Hooked on ‘smart Drugs’ - TODAY Health - TODAY.com." TODAY.com: Matt Lauer, Ann Curry, Al Roker, Natalie Morales - TODAY Show Video, News, Recipes, Health, Pets. MSNBC, 17 May 2011. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. <http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43050779/ns/today-today_health/t/steroids-school-college-students-get-hooked-smart-drugs/>.

                                                            ii.       Adderall gives students an unfair advantage in academic classes.

                                                          iii.      Students are suffering from the side effects of Adderall.

1.      Kyle Craig, a Vanderbilt student, developed a psychosis from Adderall abuse and committed suicide.

2.      Adderall can cause students to feel “zombie-like”, jittery, and lose interest in previous activities they enjoyed.

                                                          iv.      Nonmedical use of Adderall is correlated with a much greater likelihood to engage in other bad behaviors such as abusing drugs such as marijuana, binge drinking, and risky behavior.

1.      Source: McCabe, Sean E., John R. Knight, Christian J. Teter, and Henry Wechsler. Non-medical Use of Prescription Stimulants among US College Students: Prevalence and Correlates from a National Survey. 31 Aug. 2004. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. <http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74786/1/j.1360-0443.2005.00944.x.pdf>.

                                                            v.      Adderall may not actually work to increase focus like as much as people think.

                                                          vi.      Adderall may help students focus, but it hinder other cognitive abilities, such as creativity.

1.      Parents overlook symptoms displayed by their children because they are proud of their hard work.

2.      Source: Carroll, Linda. "College Students Get Hooked on ‘smart Drugs’ - TODAY Health - TODAY.com." TODAY.com: Matt Lauer, Ann Curry, Al Roker, Natalie Morales - TODAY Show Video, News, Recipes, Health, Pets. MSNBC, 17 May 2011. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. <http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/43050779/ns/today-today_health/t/steroids-school-college-students-get-hooked-smart-drugs/>.

V.                Main Point Three

A.      A counterargument is that Adderall use is okay for college students to use.

                                                              i.      Adderall is a drug prescribed by a doctor so it cannot be a bad thing to use.

1.      Source: Galiana, Ramon. "College Students Use, Abuse ADHD Drug Adderall." The Miami Hurricane [Miami] 17 Sept. 2008. Print.

                                                            ii.      College students are so stressed and overloaded with work that they would not be able to handle everything without stimulants like Adderall.

1.     

Figure 3: Health Care for College Students. Digital image. Health Care. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://www.omvs-mali.org/health-care-for-college-students.html/health-care-for-college-students>.

                                                          iii.      With proper counseling Adderall and be safe and effective.

1.     

Figure 4: Visual Photos. Doctor Counseling Patient. Digital image. Visual Photos. Visual Photos. Web. 20 Oct. 2011. <http://www.visualphotos.com/image/2x2667144/doctor_counseling_patient>.

VI.             Conclusion

A.      Adderall use among college students has dramatically increased due to illegal buying and sharing of the drug.

                                                              i.      Nonmedical use of Adderall gives some students an unfair advantage and should be implemented into academic integrity statements at colleges.

B.      The lack of knowledge concerning the side effects of Adderall leads to negative outcomes of drug use.

                                                              i.      Increased awareness of the implications of Adderall use and why it is necessary.

1.      Colleges should make an effort to increase awareness of side effects of prescription drug used as stimulants.

C.      Adderall use will continue to increase and spread across the nation unless steps are taken to restrict its use and spread awareness of the possible side effects.