The postsecondary pharmacy: Camosun students are using prescription medication to help them study

It’s a quiet Friday fall afternoon at Camosun’s Lansdowne campus. I’m interviewing a Camosun student who has admitted that they illegally use medication for people diagnosed with ADD or ADHD to help them study. We’re talking about why students use these drugs, the impact it has on those who actually have ADD or ADHD, and how prevalent the usage is at Camosun: it’s more widespread than some might think.

We’re talking on the phone and I ask, “If I wanted some today, right now, how fast could it end up in my office?”

They laugh, and they say that “it’s not particularly difficult if you know who to ask.”

Safety first

Students using prescription drugs to help them stay alert in school is nothing new. It’s a phenomenon that has been going on for years, and it’s not just postsecondary. The first Camosun student, who we are keeping anonymous, that I interview says that they became aware of using these drugs as a study tool in high school.

“I actually was an honour-student type person, running in a crowd that was very stressed on an academic level, and an overachieving kind of a crowd. It was actually a very common tool to utilize in later high-school years and definitely in college and university as well. It’s a really super common phenomenon.”

The student speaks with candor in regards to using these drugs, which they say are “definitely being done” by students at Camosun.

“There comes a point where coffee isn’t enough. The demands of being a student and still maintaining a good grade point average isn’t a possibility without more than the acceptable uppers such as caffeine.”

This student, who used to be on a prescription for Ritalin, says that when they hear of other students doing the drugs, they will assist them in making sure the drugs are being used as safely as possible.

“When I see other students using it, or talk to them about using the same medication, I’m not going to try to stop them, because I am aware that it can be dangerous. You can’t stop people from trying to get through postsecondary and trying to cope with an immense stress load and an exam the next day. So making sure they do it in the safest way possible and trying to educate students that way has been the interaction I’ve had.”

And those interactions include this student educating others on exactly what type of drugs they’re taking, if they’re slow release or not, how long they’ll be in a person’s system, and dealing with what happens after the high subsides.

“Do they know how to take care of themselves afterwards, after that exam is done and they haven’t slept for a couple days properly? Do they know how to take care of themselves in the aftermath so they don’t suffer long-term repercussions that will actually impact their studies and other responsibilities? I feel it’s going to happen anyway, so why not educate people on how to do it safely? Because it can get messy.”

Still, even though they are aware it can get messy, this student uses Ritalin when they deem it necessary for their studies.

“Just like someone would sit down with a big huge cup of coffee at 7 o’clock and cram through an exam, this is another tool you can utilize. I’m not saying it’s ideal or safe… not sleeping and all that, it’s horrible for your health, but if you see it as necessary, do it in the safest way possible.”

The choice is yours

The second Camosun student we talked to, who is also remaining anonymous, first used Ritalin as a study tool about halfway through their first year of postsecondary. They had initially used Ritalin in a trial context by their doctor; it was deemed the drug wasn’t for them and they weren’t prescribed it.

“[The drugs] have been helpful for me in terms of allowing me to tune into myself when it comes to my writing and reflection,” says the student. “Almost like working straight from my primitive self. It’s also aided me with research, making connections I hadn’t before seen, and having the ability to bounce from place to place for extended periods of time without losing steam.”

This student says that they feel using drugs like Ritalin is “everyone’s right to try” “as long as it isn’t hurting anyone.”

“Whether it is something that is acceptable to do to yourself, you can only learn through trying it, I suppose. I don’t see it as the same as athletes using steroids to enhance their game. I think of it the same way I do people drinking coffee, just enhancing your performance. Some people who are accessing these drugs via friends may also ‘need’ them for undiagnosed ADD or ADHD. I can’t say. I think it is a personal choice, much like drinking alcohol.”

Although they are aware of the potential consequences of taking these drugs, this student says that they were not afraid to start using them and they trust themselves with the drugs now because of their experience with them.

“But there were times when I became worried about how they were affecting me both physically and mentally, messing up my eating and sleep schedule and not allowing me to function properly the next day if I’d done a little too much. Also, not knowing exactly how they are going to affect me each time I take them makes me weary and extra careful to only use them when it is needed and safe to do so.”

This student echoes the first student’s sentiments in saying that it’s not hard to find these drugs on Camosun’s campuses.

“If you brought the subject up casually I’m sure you would be surprised to learn just how common it is for people to hold these prescriptions, and a lot of them do not use it as often as they are told to by doctors. This means that people are willing to sell them and what student doesn’t need some extra cash? Especially if their drugs are covered in some way. I’m not saying people are standing on campus dishing out these drugs, but you’re likely only one person away from ‘scoring,’ if you will.”

The unseen repercussions

But what about students who actually have ADD or ADHD? Former Camosun student Juliana Cooper, who is currently a student at UVic, was recently diagnosed with ADHD. She says students who don’t have the condition using the drugs has a very negative impact on her.

“It’s frustrating,” she says. “These are drugs I need to function at the same level as students without this disorder. When people abuse pharmaceuticals it makes it that much harder for people who actually depend on them to treat some condition to get the drugs they need.”

Cooper says that because of the drugs being used illegally, she has to deal with not only the consequences of it being harder for her to get prescribed the drugs (if she loses her bottle, there is a 25-day hold on getting more in case she’s selling her pills, leaving her without medication for that time period) but also deal with the social stigma now attached with them.

“Now, when I pick up my prescription, I see a big, angry, red ‘double counted’ stamp on the bottle,” she says. “When I saw that, my first thought was, ‘Oh, that’s great, they’ve made sure I got the right number of pills.’ Then I realized it’s to cover their asses in case I try to weasel some extras to sell or snort or whatever.”

But the first student we spoke with says that this is a common phenomenon in health care in general.

“It’s very difficult to get a variety of medications because people are using them outside of the range of what they’re intended to be prescribed for,” says the first student. “That’s an unfortunate reality, it’s how our system is currently constricted. I personally try not to judge folks for trying to survive. It’s unfortunate that that’s a phenomenon, definitely.”

Cooper says she realizes that drug use isn’t going to go away, but she wishes that students wouldn’t use drugs that they don’t need if that usage has negative impact on their peers.

“What I would like is for people to be more thoughtful about the drugs they’re doing,” she says. “Stay safe, first and foremost, but also don’t use in a way that affects other people. I don’t shell out over $100 a month to be treated like a potential criminal at the pharmacy or at the border.”

College transactions

The first student we spoke with said that it’s a well-known fact for people selling these sorts of drugs that those attending postsecondary institutions like Camosun are an ideal target market.

“If you are looking to sell, you know students are really good candidates for this particular medication,” says the student.

Which begs the question: is it students doing the selling?

“I think in part,” says the student. “I imagine. I don’t have a great scope on who is doing it, but the majority of students I’ve talked to do get it from another student. Students help each other out. If it’s a really stressful program, and you’re in it, you’re coping together. That can be an extension of that.”

The first student feels that using these drugs is, in some situations, necessary for students. They also feel that it’s definitely acceptable.

“I think on an individual basis, it’s entirely acceptable. Maybe it’s not ideal, it’s definitely not legal, in most cases, but I would never judge someone trying to survive or trying to get through what they need to to get to the next step in their lives. If you really need to get a good grade in that class, and this is how you feel you can do it, then who am I to judge?”

Going up and coming down

What does it feel like to take prescription drugs if you don’t have ADD or ADHD? We asked the Camosun students we spoke with who use it to assist in their studying, and here’s what they had to say.

“The type I’ve utilized the most is a slow-acting one,” says the first student we spoke with. “So within half an hour you feel much more alert, much more awake, you can concentrate, you can process things really well.

“There’s also the more negative sides of it, where you might feel a bit on edge, a bit more quick to being upset. The anxiety is something that you need to be able to handle; it has been for me.

“For the slow release, that can last about eight hours, then it tends to wear off slowly, maybe over the course of an hour, then you feel really tired, and you have a crash. You time it so it’s an acceptable time for a crash. It has to be something you do with a lot of intention and planning, and to be able to take care of yourself to keep going to your classes, to take care of yourself in general.

“There will be a crash, most likely, and there will be anxiety. You need to know how to deal with that. With any new chcmicals going into your body, you need to know how to compensate for that, and try to stay intact despite what you’re trying to put yourself through.”

“Physical symptoms of the drug kicking in include faster heartbeat and sweaty palms and cold sweats,” says the second student we spoke with. “I attribute this to the pills being a form of methamphetamine. This can also result in an inability to eat or a general lack of hunger or interest in food for multiple hours on end.

“Mentally, the drugs allow you to focus or fixate in a sense. Almost feels like the effects of coffee. Your brain become ‘turned on.’ Personally, I’ll be able to write and write and delve into ideas that I’ve always had but the words seem to pour out when I use these substances.

“And the speed-like effects keep you awake. Turns your mind on and distracts from afflictions of being human, such as hunger and tiredness.

“It generally takes about an hour for the long-acting forms of these meds to kick in, with Ritalin and long-acting Dexedrine. I have tried the faster-acting/short-lasting Dexedrine, but can’t say how much quicker it affected me.

“In terms of how long they last, it depends on the typeŃAdderall, Dexedrine, and RitalinŃand their type and dose. The Ritalin I’ve taken has lasted on average around four hours, whereas some Dexedrine I’ve taken has lasted up to eight. It’s also incredibly dependent on the user, much like alcohol; there are many factors affecting its effect and efficiency, including bodily experience with the drug, sleep schedule, food intake, weight, and whether you have ADD/ADHD in any form.”