Published: May 2, 2013
To the Editor:
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Re “Attention-Deficit Drugs Face New Campus Rules”
(news article, May 1): Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a
legitimate diagnosis, and medication is an important aspect of treatment
that needs to be started under the careful supervision of the
prescribing physician. The diagnosis should be made after a
comprehensive evaluation, which requires an extensive clinical history.
Unfortunately, there is also a growing and persistent minority of
students who see certain medications for the disorder as academic aids.
Access to A.D.H.D. stimulants can be easy when other students give away
or sell these drugs.
Educating clinicians on the surge in stimulant misuse is important, but we also need to raise awareness in college students that taking the medication without a prescription can be dangerous to one’s health and is a federal crime.
VIVIEN CHAN
Irvine, Calif., May 1, 2013
Irvine, Calif., May 1, 2013
The writer, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, is co-chairwoman of
the College Student Mental Health Committee at the American Academy of
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
