ADHD Drug Abuse Rises Among Teens
WASHINGTON
ADHD prescription drug abuse is rising among children between the ages of 13 and 19, according to data collected from the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
Reuters reports that U.S. poison control centers received a 76 percent increase in calls over the past eight years for teens who overdosed on attention deficit drugs. According to the research, the 80 percent rise in prescription such as Ritalin, Adderall and Vyvanse, is making it easier for teens without a prescription to get the drugs.
ADHD affects between 8 percent and 12 percent of children and 4 percent of adults worldwide. It was a $4.8 billion industry in 2008, according to the news organization.
More than 40 percent of teens abusing ADHD drugs had moderate to severe side effects, and many ended up in emergency rooms. Life-threatening symptoms include agitation, rapid heartbeat and extremely high blood pressure.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse is investigating reports suggesting that more than 7 million people in the United States have abused methylphenidate, also known as Ritalin, to get high or to improve academic performance.
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