Prescription pills pose problem at USA

Prescription pill abuse is becoming a widespread trend among students at USA and on other college campuses.

According to The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA), in 2001, "almost 7 million young adults aged 18 to 25 had used prescription-type drugs non-medically at least once in their lifetime."

"It's the same reason athletes use performance enhancing drugs," said Dr. Thomasina Sharpe, director of the University of South Alabama's Student Health Center. "This is a high-stress situation, and students are striving to perform. Abuse comes as an attempt to augment performance."

From the three general categories of prescription-type drugs - stimulants, pain relievers and central nervous system (CNS) depressants - stimulants are most commonly abused to enhance performance in the classroom. Historically used to treat attention-deficit disorder (ADD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy, stimulants have similar chemical structures to monoamines, key brain neurotransmitters that include norepinephrine and dopamine, thereby increasing brain activity.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), stimulants cause an "increase in alertness, attention and energy that is accompanied by elevated blood pressure and increased heart rate and respiration." Commonly prescribed stimulants include Ritalin and Adderall.

"Adderall, Ritalin, speed - they can all be abused to enhance your performance," Sharpe said.

Stimulant abuse by college students is caused by many factors, though stress is thought to be most common.

"Adderall just makes me feel good, like I can get everything done while still having fun," said a USA freshman who wished to remain anonymous. "I mean, I'm not addicted or anything, I just snort it when I have a lot of stuff to do."

Research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), a government agency overseen by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, indicates that "people with ADHD do not become addicted to stimulant medications, such as Ritalin, when taken in the form and dosage prescribed." However, the research also states when they are "misused, stimulants can be addictive."

Addiction is a risk factor when pills are being misused and possession is against the law, according to the 2004 USA Lowdown. As part of the Substance Abuse Policy found on page 197, " possession of even one pill of common prescription medication like Lortab, Ritalin, Valium, etc., without a valid prescription is a felony," due to the definition of a "controlled substance" from the Alabama State Board of Health.

"It's the equivalent of having cocaine," said Paul Houlsen, interim chief of police at USA. "It carries the same charges of being in possession of a scheduled narcotic or illegal drug."

Possession of a controlled substance is a Class C felony in Alabama, and can result in one year and one day to 10 years in jail and a maximum fine of $5,000. Distributing a controlled substance in Alabama is a Class B felony, resulting in a jail sentence of two to 20 years and a maximum fine of $10,000. In addition, those convicted of distribution of a controlled substance within three miles of a college campus must serve an extra five years in prison without the possibility of probation.

In the past two years, USA police have arrested six students for the possession of pills without a valid prescription. Usually found during a routine traffic stop, the USA police have confiscated numerous pills, including Valium, Adderall, Xanax, Lortab and countless other unidentified pills. On one occasion in January of 2003, 13 partial Xanax bars, 48 full Xanax tablets, five Lortabs and 59 ecstasy pills were confiscated from a Delta dorm room.

Though hundreds more cases of recreational prescription pill use exsist on the USA campus, Houlsen attributes the relatively few number of arrests to the nature of the drugs.

"It's not an open-air market," said Houlsen. "You are not selling it to strangers, each person sells within their little circle."

Even with the stiff punishments and laws prohibiting such actions, students still seek out prescription pills. And according to USA students, availability is not a problem.

"I just buy them over the Internet," said one USA senior who spoke on condition of anonymity. "You just type in one little thing, one little problem, and they just send you a prescription, with your name on the bottle and everything."

According to the source, all a student has to do to obtain pills locally is "ask around."

"They're everywhere," the student said. "You can find them in a heartbeat around here."

Abusers of Ritalin and Adderall either swallow high dosages of the medications or crush them into a fine powder in order to snort them up the nasal passages. The resulting effect is usually felt as an innate ability to focus and/or a jittery feeling of euphoria. Adderall, when crushed, is often referred to as "hippie crack."

"I do see people coming in addicted to those medications, abusing those medications and trying to get those medications," said Sharpe. Though the Student Health Center can prescribe any medication, stringent procedures are enforced to avoid students obtaining addictive pills on campus.

"We are not going to give anything addictive if there is a non-addictive alternative," said Sharpe. "We have a strict policy to avoid students falling into that trap." Parts of USA's policy include a neurological examination, medical records, a controlled substance contract, prescriptions filled one month at a time and an evaluation by the Student Health Center's physician.

High dosages of stimulants and chronic stimulant abuse can have perilous results. According to SAMHSA, side effects may include "irregular heartbeat, dangerously high body temperatures, and/or the potential for cardiovascular failure or seizures." SAMHSA also reports "taking high doses of some stimulants repeatedly over a short period of time can lead to hostility or feelings of paranoia in some individuals."

Though abuse of stimulants is often attributed to college-aged young adults, the highest rate of prescription pill abuse among 18 to 25-year-olds is that associated with prescription pain relievers. According to SAMHSA, "In 2002, almost 30 million persons aged 12 or older had used prescription pain relievers non-medically in their lifetime."

Classified as either narcotics or opiods, pain relievers also cause drowsiness or sleep. Historically, these drugs were derived from the opium poppy, but can now be manufactured synthetically. Commonly prescribed drugs include Darvocet, Vicodin, Lortab and OxyContin.

"I love Ultram," said one USA student who wished to remain anonymous. "It's usually prescribed for migraines, but it's like a weak form of morphine. "It makes you tingle, it makes you itch, it makes your nose go [wipes nose rapidly back and forth], but it's a good itch, it just make you calm."

Opiods attach to opiod receptors, proteins in the brain, spinal cord and gastrointestinal tract, to change the way a person experiences pain. Opiods can also cause an initial euphoria by affecting the regions in the brain that perceive pleasure. Side effects can be severe. According to SAMHSA, opiods "produce drowsiness, cause constipation and, depending upon the amount taken, depress breathing." A large dose can cause a person to stop breathing.

CNS depressants, like tranquilizers and sedatives, slow normal brain function and are divided into two categories: barbiturates and benzodiazepines. Barbiturates, such as Mebaral and Nembutal, are generally used to treat anxiety, tension, and sleep disorders. Benzodiazepines, for instance Valium and Xanax, are prescribed for anxiety, acute stress reactions and panic attacks. NIDA reports that over 100 million prescriptions were written in 1999 for CNS depressants. According to NIDA, CNS depressants affect the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which produces drowsiness and/or a calming effect.

"Valium, man, they make me feel straight," said one 25-year-old who requested anonymity.

Many college students use CNS depressants in conjunction with other drugs, including alcohol, cocaine and methamphetamine (crystal meth). The depressants are often used to "come down" from a stimulant high, which can result in death.

"I'll only use cocaine if I have a handful of pills to eat, to come down and chill out," said one 25-year-old who also wished to remain nameless.

"A handful of pills" is not even very expensive, according to anonymous sources. For example, the street value of a Lortab runs roughly $5; a Soma (a muscle relaxant prescribed for injuries and painful muscular conditions) for $1; a single Valium, $2-$3; a bar of Xanax or an Adderall tablet, $4-$5 each.

With pills so readily available and arguably inexpensive, many students can face serious health risks with constant recreational use.

"The next day, I feel like sh**, man; my head hurts, I don't want to move or do anything," said an anonymous 24-year old USA student. "But I have a great time the night before."

For help with prescription pill abuse on campus, contact USA's Counseling and Testing Services at 460-7051.