Government regulation of civil liberties has always been an ambiguous, controversial matter. Prohibiting individual choice is a slippery slope, but administrations have done it for decades.
The results are often disastrous. Prohibition is viewed today as idiotic. The war on drugs has incarcerated millions, wasted billions of dollars and whitewashed users of any drug at any frequency as addicts, but drug use remains constant and criminal enterprises prop themselves up with drug sales.
That trend persists today. The list of banned drugs grows as fast as new drugs are produced.
There are some drugs that deserve to be banned. Heroin, meth and “bath salts” are among them — they often prompt homicidal and suicidal behavior.
There are others, though, that either affect users only mildly or enhance their users’ abilities. No, I’m not talking about marijuana. I’m talking about a prescription drug: Adderall, or any other similar prescription-only concentration pill.
It’s been around for only about two decades now, but its effects are potent. For those with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), it calms and concentrates. For non-prescription users, it induces focused energy. It is taken as a study aid and as a recreational drug.
Because it is such a young drug, it is hard to measure Adderall’s long-term effects. It is obvious, though, that it is not harmless. Among its side effects are increased heart rate, headaches, sleep problems and, if heavily abused, potentially fatal aortic tears.
And most importantly, because it is an amphetamine, its potential for addiction is high.
But the drug is already prescribed to hundreds of thousands. Doctors are willing to overlook its side effects for the sake of helping those suffering from ADD and ADHD.
What exactly someone who has ADD looks like, though, is far from clear. There are no biological or psychometric tests to determine that someone suffers from the disorder, so getting the diagnosis is as simple as displaying certain symptoms. We all know people who have had an Adderall prescription. Do some of them have ADD? Sure. But for many, many others, it’s just a matter of being a convincing actor.
Many of us have problems concentrating. At what point does that become a “disorder?” Is there some clear demarcation between those who just get tired of doing one thing and those who really have ADD?
After years of study, no one’s really sure.
So there’s no obvious point at which one “needs” Adderall. One’s ability to concentrate varies widely depending on mood, what one’s working on, how much and what one’s eaten that day and a million other factors.
Yes, there is potential for abuse with the drug, and recreational use of it should not be condoned under any circumstance. But there is potential for abuse with lots of things, such as cigarettes, coffee, sugar and alcohol.
There are a variety of ways to encourage smarter use. Set a certain age at which it is legal to obtain. Educate about moderate use of the drug in conjunction with alcohol awareness education. Sell it in limited doses and amounts. Restrict sale locations to stores that sell other pharmaceuticals and closely monitor sales.
No matter what, something needs to change. Current policy surrounding Adderall is backwards: Doctors shove it down “hyper” 3-year-olds’ throats to subdue them — what kid isn’t hyper at that age? — and restrict it from college kids unless they’re wiling to clear the hurdles of parents and phony tests at doctors’ offices.
There are many options in between allowing rampant abuse of the drug and the current, prescription-only policy. It’s time to start looking at them.