The Pros And Cons Of Adderall

Today, college students across the nation live for the future. We yearn for the invention of future gadgets, gizmos, and medicines that can improve the quality of our lives and solve all of our problems. I am pleased to say we live in the future, today. We live in a world where new technologies and advanced medications are commonplace. However, while technological and medicinal advances have their pros, they also have their cons. For example, Adderall is a miracle drug for many people, prescribed to treat attention deficit disorder and it has been proven to restore the balance of neurotransmitters, fight tiredness, and provide mild euphoria. For many, Adderall’s ability to stimulate the central nervous system enables individuals to better
Adderall can also be addicting and lead to detrimental abuse. Recently, the drug has been popular among college students for off-label use, enabling them to study for hours with full concentration and without fatigue. In this stressful and increasingly busy world, Adderall offers students a competitive advantage by enhancing their cognitive function and boosting memory performance in their college endeavors. In theory, Adderall, and other similar stimulants, could produce a higher performing student, which could lead to a higher performing workforce. While the short term gains are obvious, long term risks associated with Adderall may be prevalent as well. An important question to answer would be to what extent Adderall should be legally available as an over-the-counter drug for college students without professional medical supervision and doctor recommended
This argument provides a doing it for the right reasons kind of justification. A third year business major, Lisa, proclaimed, “Adderall is definitely not a drug…It’s a study tool,” that she uses to perform well in school so, “how can that be bad” (Desantis)? Lisa nonchalantly discusses her illegal drug use because her perception of the drug is that it is used for good reasons. This is a common response because Adderall helps her achieve higher grades in her classes. She is not addicted to the drug, nor is she using the drug strictly for pleasure. Her feeling that arises from the drug is unlike the sensational high from smoking marijuana or the powerful, temporary high from snorting cocaine. She does not experience the negative effects; therefore, she does not understand why stimulants are frowned upon. Her argument is strictly focused around her ethics and personal principles. Lisa is focused on performing well in school and Adderall has given her the concentration she needs to succeed. Another college student, John, believes that “people that take it are trying to get their work done so they can get through college… [ So,] crack is …the drug for losers and Adderall is for winners. They’re two very different kinds of things” (Desantis). John has a firm opinion of his moral choice, which justifies his use of the