Desperate times call for desperate measures, but just how much do some yearn for that A on the organic chemistry final? At $20 a pop, Adderall seems like a desperate measure many students are willing to explore, if they haven’t already experimented with the drug. Intended as a “combination medication” according to WebMD, Adderall is used as part of a total treatment program to control attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It helps patients pay attention, stay focused and control behavior problems. Its intended patient base consists of those diagnosed with ADHD, not college students seeking a quick fix for a strong case of poor time management.

“It was my last exam, freshman year, and I was drained from all my other exams,” said junior economics major Yusuf Adem. “It was a desperate move but when I did take it, I felt wired.”

This exemplifies the common confession from college students who have looked to the “smart pill” as a study aid. Some students out there take prescribed Adderall, helping them to compete academically with other students who have perfectly normal attention spans. As more and more students without ADHD take Adderall, however, they stand to raise the standard of academic expectations while comparatively leaving those affected by ADHD right where they started. Soon enough, not taking the drug before every exam could be considered a poor decision, furthering the stereotype of a drugged-up America.

“I was the first person to show up at my exam,” Adem said. “I made it through the exam, but I was averaging, like, two hours of sleep a night that entire week and eventually crashed for 23 hours. Naturally, I went home after my last exam, and my mom checked to see if I was breathing. I only took half [an Adderall] that day and gave the other to my roommate.”

But students like Adem take the drug without thoroughly understanding its potential harms. According to Solomon Tesfatsion, a local pharmacist, doses are prescribed based primarily on how severe a patient’s disorder is but are usually limited to one pill a day. Warnings for this medication clearly state if you suddenly stop taking it, withdrawal reactions may occur. Such reactions can include severe tiredness, mood changes including depression and sleep problems. These are the kind of warnings you won’t find on the zip-close bag you’re most likely to get Adderall in on this campus.

Adderall has become the steroids of our generation, with its abuse growing common and its safety constantly in question. Infamous athletes have been getting caught using steroids to gain an unfair advantage in their sporting careers year after year. Athletes caught in the act face suspensions, the return of medals and enormous shame. So what happens to the students who take Adderall and break the curve? Where’s that in the honor code we sign before every exam? It’s nowhere to be found because the academic norms haven’t been adjusted to address this issue as the norms have adapted in the world of sports. I guess Red Bull and Monster energy drinks will take a back seat to the more potent Adderall and its generic imitators.

Fenan Solomon is a junior journalism and pre-pharmacy major. She can be reached at solomondbk@gmail.com.