Pubdate: Tue, 20 Mar 2001
Source: Michigan Daily (MI)
Copyright: 2001 The Michigan Daily
Contact:  420 Maynard Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1327
Website: http://www.michigandaily.com/

MICHIGAN STUDY FINDS MORE ADOLESCENTS USING RITALIN RECREATIONALLY

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - According to the recent University of
Michigan study "Monitoring the Future," adolescents are increasingly
abusing methlyphenidate, the drug more commonly known as Ritalin, in
order to study longer, party harder and suppress their appetites.

Ritalin is a mild stimulant most commonly prescribed to school-age
children to control Attention Deficit Disorder.

But the drug is sold for about $3 to $5 per pill on the black
market.

University students, like many across the country, are willing to pay
for Ritalin's varied effects including appetite suppression,
wakefulness, increased focus for studying and euphoria.

Abusers either consume Ritalin in pill form, crush the pill and snort
it or mix the pill in water and inject the mixture.

"I would not be surprised to see Ritalin at any frat party or house
party. It is really prevalent," said an LSA sophomore who requested
that her name not be printed.

"Ritalin can do whatever you want it to," she added.

"If I take it on a Monday night, it helps me concentrate on studying
more. If I take it on a Friday night, I can drink three times as much
and it makes me more calm and talkative. My conversations are more
interesting."

Dr. Luke Tsai, a University professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics and
director of The Developmental Disorders Clinic, prescribes Ritalin for
his Attention Deficit Disorder patients.

"Ritalin does make people more alert for a much longer period of
time," Tsai said. "But an overdose can make people very irritable or
zombie-like."

While Tsai warns that consuming any prescription drug without a
prescription is very dangerous, he said that Ritalin is not
physiologically addictive and in small doses it is not a dangerous
medication.

In addition to psychological addiction, The Indiana Prevention
Resource Center at Indiana University reports that Ritalin abuse can
lead to increased heart rate and blood pressure, dizziness, headaches
and in some cases psychotic episodes.

The report said, "While death due to Ritalin is not common, it has
been known to occur."
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