Prescription stimulants have made inroads into college campuses and high schools across the country. And they’re being used by students for recreation, weight loss and study aids. One young woman, 15-year-old Tessa Japhet, became addicted to Adderall and had to go to drug rehab. “I just started using it before classes - boring classes - to make me hyper.”

“We live in a medicated society. Everything that happens to us there is a pill for it,” said drug counselor Terry Adams. Mr. Adams thinks if you did a poll in high schools, 50% of the students would have tried prescription drugs.

Tessa is from Grass Valley, Nevada and we already know that at least 20% of the students at one high school in Florida - clear across the country - have used Adderall or Ritalin. The trend gets worse in colleges where it is estimated that 30% of the students are using Ritalin or Adderall.

How many will end up needing drug rehab is unknown. An academic figurehead from the University of Pennsylvania would have you believe that taking Ritalin for an extra boost is no different than wearing glasses or getting a hip replaced. It is unlikely you will end up at a drug rehab after wearing glasses, although you might end up in a drug detox or drug rehab after a hip replacement surgery if you become addicted to Oxycontin. When prestigious Universities promote the use of prescription stimulants it sends the wrong message to the youth of this country. It opens the door for more drug use among the young and old. As the message gets louder, you can be sure more young people like Tessa will end up in a drug rehab program.

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