More Kids Using ADHD Drugs to Get High

A study that analyzed calls to poison control centers found that calls related to Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication abuse rose 76 percent, from 317 to 581. The study will be published in the September issue of Pediatrics and was released by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

ADHD affects between 8 percent and 12 percent of children and 4 percent of adults worldwide. According to the AAP, there has been a significant increase in the use of prescription stimulants to treat ADHD. The study, “Adolescent Prescription ADHD Medication Abuse is Rising Along With Prescriptions for These Medications,” analyzed the American Association of Poison Control Center’s National Poison Data System for the years 1998 to 2005 for all cases involving 13- to 19-year-olds who intentionally abused or misused ADHD prescription medication.

The study also notes that estimated prescription rates for teens and preteens increased 133 percent for amphetamine products, 52 percent for methylphenidate products, and 80 percent for both together. Although the majority of adolescents use their ADHD medication appropriately, study authors point out that the rise in abuse remained proportional to the availability of these medications.