A Stimulating Experience: An Examination of Non-prescription Amphetamine Use in United States High School Students

• In Event: Research on Different Types of Drugs

Abstract

Increasing evidence suggests that the non-prescription use of amphetamines (specifically medication prescribed to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) is proliferating in the United States. However, research on this misuse of prescription medication remains relatively scarce. Specifically, research has neglected to examine the correlates of non-prescription amphetamine use among high school students in any systematic fashion. Using data from the Monitoring the Future project, the present study will assess amphetamine use among this policy-relevant population. Results will add to our knowledge of the prevalence, self-reported reasons for use, purchasing methods, and clinical consequences. Given the popularity of these medications among college students, demonstrated in previous research, determining the pervasiveness among high school students may inform policies regarding the classification of these substances, penalties for possession and distribution, as well as patient/physician instruction to heighten awareness of these substances for non-medical purposes.

Author

• Beth Fera, John Jay College of Criminal Justice / CUNY Graduate Center