The San Diego Union Tribune
By Eleanor Yan Su
February 15, 2010

San Diego State University senior Chris Kershaw first used Adderall two years ago to help cram for a final exam.

The economics major doesn’t have attention-deficit disorder, which the drug is most commonly prescribed to treat. But Kershaw, like many college students, occasionally buys the drug from friends to help him study.

“It’s like steroids for the brain,” said Kershaw, 22, of Agoura Hills. “It helped me focus. I was able to stay up until 4 or 5 a.m. studying.”

The drug misuse isn’t new — educators say prescription stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin have been growing in prevalence on college campuses for a decade. Between 5 percent and 25 percent of students admit abuse of the drugs, depending on the college and survey.

What’s changing is the way students are using the drugs, and the increasing attention colleges are devoting to the matter. SDSU’s coordinator of alcohol and drug initiatives is spending his sabbatical this year devising a program to address abuse of prescription drugs ranging from stimulants to painkillers.

Read entire article:  http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/15/colleges-faced-with-misuse-of-stimulants/