POLL: Should Parents Worry About Adderall Abuse?

According to a new report in the Star-Tribune, many college students are faking ADHD symptoms, or are playing up mild symptoms in order to get access to Adderall and other stimulants used to treat the disorder.

Dr. Gary Christenson estimates Boynton Health Services (at the University of Minnesota) sees one new patient a week asking to be diagnosed with ADHD. According to a 2010 Boynton survey, one-quarter of Minnesota college students who report ADHD symptoms were diagnosed within a year of the survey -- which means they waited until college to be diagnosed with a disorder typically detected during childhood.

In high school, I remember several classmates in high-pressure classes using Ritalin and Adderall to complete difficult or time-consuming homework, which they bought off of other students who had legitimate prescriptions. Southwest Minneapolis has its share of high-pressure, high-achieving schools, classes, and students. Have you heard of students at local schools doing similar things? Are you worried such drug abuse is happening?