Ritalin abuse growing by word of mouth

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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Two of three people who abuse Ritalin or other medications attention disorders get the drugs free from a family member or friend, a new report says.

The report, by the University of Maryland Center for Substance Abuse Research draws on a nationwide Internet survey of 4,297 respondents, conducted by Harris Interactive. Of those who responded, 66 percent said they received their drugs for free.

“This continues to be a growing problem in the high schools and especially on college campuses,” said Michael Gimbel, drug abuse educator with Sheppard Pratt Health Systems in Baltimore. “They call it ‘pharming’ and ‘Generation RX.’ ”

Their findings include the following:

>> 35 percent reported having stolen Ritalin or other medications for attention disorders.

>> 13 percent bought pills from family or friends.

>> 20 percent fraudulently obtain prescriptions from a doctor.

Users got prescriptions by making up symptoms or going to a doctor who was known to “not ask too many questions,” according to the study authors.

“Intervention programs should be developed to educate patients regarding the potential for diversion, whether the medications are intentionally shared or taken without the patient’s knowledge,” the report stated. “Further education may be needed to aid physicians in recognizing when patients are attempting to obtain ADHD medications fraudulently.”

For young people with attention disorders, Ritalin can help them calm down, focus, and actually lower their propensity to get addicted to alcohol or other drugs later in life.

For the 3 percent of college students estimated to be abusing the drug for a quick high, however, the nerve stimulant can be addictive, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

The trend may be worse in high schools, according to NIDA’s Monitoring the Future survey. The agency found 2.4 percent of eighth-graders used Ritalin, as did 3.4 percent of 10th-graders and 4.4 percent of 12th-graders.

khille@baltimoreexaminer.com

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