An Ethical Discussion

UNIVERSITY OF LA VERNE

Adderall and Ethical discussion.

Sampson, Cory

2/26/2014

Roy Schneider, Esq.

Business Ethics

This paper is intended to discuss the following: the scientific name of the drug and some of the more common street names, routes of administration, the schedule and classification of the drug, main short-term and long term effects/side effects, risks of addiction, how it interacts with other drugs and alcohol, how common abuse/addiction are, what segment of the population is most affected by abuse/addiction, treatment, prevention, and the ethical implications of using the drug. I also chose to include a personal description of what happened to me while using the drug under a doctor's care.

Adderall is a drug that is commonly prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and Narcolepsy. According to Webmd, ("Adderall Oral",2014), "Adderall's scientific name is amphetamine or dextroamphetamine." The drug goes by many street names such as the A train, bennies, and rall rails.

Most people are prescribed these pills by a doctor to get a handle on their ADHD or ADD, but far too many young people are using this drug as a cognitive enhancer. Using Adderall to do well in school or stay up all night to study for a test is counterproductive to actually learning, studying, and doing the work. Often times, people don't want to do the work it takes to make it through school the conventional way, and they rely heavily on stimulants to do the work for them. This leads to a vicious cycle that will be referred to in greater depth later in this essay.

This drug belongs to the family of drugs called stimulants and according to the (Drug Enforcement Agency [DEA], 2014) "Schedule II drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a high potential for abuse, less abuse potential than Schedule I drugs, with use potentially leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. These drugs are also considered dangerous. Some examples of Schedule II drugs are: cocaine, methamphetamine, methadone, hydromorphone (Dilaudid), meperidine (Demerol), oxycodone (OxyContin), fentanyl, Dexedrine, Adderall, and Ritalin." Along with this being scheduled, if it is abused or sold, or used in any manner other than what it is intended for there can be heavy repercussions with the law. Imagine having to do jail time or have a felony on your record for the rest of your life because you abused a readily assessable prescription drug.

Most people take Adderall orally, but many snort it (insufflate), or shoot it up. This can lead to many complications