” College and alcohol have go hand-in-hand. This stereotype is not misplaced, but given less attention, is the fact that college students are increasingly using stimulants such as Adderall and caffeine. According to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, adults between the ages of 18 and 22 enrolled full-time in college are more likely to binge drink than their peers who are not enrolled in college or even enrolled part-time.”
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College and alcohol have go hand-in-hand.

This stereotype is not misplaced, but given less attention, is the fact that college students are increasingly using stimulants such as Adderall and caffeine.

According to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, adults between the ages of 18 and 22 enrolled full-time in college are more likely to binge drink than their peers who are not enrolled in college or even enrolled part-time.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that approximately 5,000 people under the age of 21 die each year as a result of underage drinking. It reported that 1,700 of these were college students.

The New York Times reports that the mindset among college students seems to be that Adderall, the drug of choice these days, is a legitimate and even hip way to get through the rigors of a hectic academic and social life.

It is becoming more common for students to abuse illicit drugs, such as cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana, prescription pills, over-the-counter medication and even caffeine.

Adderall was developed to treat people with ADHD, but many people without this condition find that this prescription drug helps them perform things such as schoolwork quickly.

It does, however, carry the risk of dependency, and those caught with it face the same charges as those caught with a drug such as marijuana.

Energy drinks have become increasingly popular among college students in the past decade.

Many of them claim to contain healthy ingredients such as fruit juice and herbal extracts. The main ingredients of the majority of these energy drinks, however, are sugar and caffeine.

One University of Akron student said he always has a cup of coffee before an exam.

It just helps me feel more awake, he explained.

I feel like I’m more focused and alert.

He estimated that he consumes the amount of caffeine equivalent to 4 cups of black coffee a day, at least.

I sometimes go on a coffee-drinking binge and do everything at once, he admitted, explaining that he once did a 50-page paper in one sitting with several cups of coffee.

He explained that caffeine helps him concentrate and compared it to relationships with people.

Coffee doesn’t ridicule the decisions that I make . . . however, it does make me feel good just about every single time I use it, he said.

Red Bull has been criticized for its highly concentrated amount of caffeine, with 80 milligrams of caffeine in each 8.4 ounce can.

However, a more recent addition to the energy drink market, a drink named Cocaine, boasts 280 milligrams of caffeine in each 8.4 ounce can.

This is more than half of what is considered a safe caffeine intake by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration. Many students drink several of these throughout the day.

Students have always searched for ways to cope with a busy schedule. For some, yoga or reading does the trick. For an increasingly large number of students, however, caffeine, alcohol and drugs are abused. The consideration of the long-term effects of these stimulants are pushed to the side as students use them for short-term effects, such as good grades.

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