Hardcore ritalin addiction?

[BWE]

A young man I know quite well just got accepted into grad school (which is wonderful news). When I asked him how he was planning on financing it, he said he would switch to the night shift at his current job (lab monkey stuff) so he could work full time while pursuing a civil engineering degree. (Chemistry BS, go figure).

When I looked through the course schedule for civil engineering with him, I mentioned that full-time work seemed a bit much on top of it. His reply:

I'll just get adhd. It's what everybody does. People figure you can do fine for 3 years at around 100 mg? a day (I think that's the dose he said) and most people snort it which helps it go further.

I am still thinking about my reply, although I did explain addiction and addictive substances and etc. (odd to have that kind of discussion with an adult.)

My question: Is it true that in grad schools (I suppose undergrad too) around the US at least, that students are snorting ritalin at an average of double dosage to manage coursework and work? Doesn't that kill you? Mostly?

I tried google but got all kinds of wrong stuff. Any advise what to search? Any first hand knowledge?

[Febble]

Well, it's a very effective drug for ADHD, because it's a stimulant that is also a dopamine re-uptake inhibitor, and kids with ADHD tend to be under-aroused, and seem to have inefficient dopaminergic networks.

The dose has to be carefully titrated to be effective in ADHD, and over-dosage can be problematic. It's an appetite suppressant, so can cause weight loss, and there's evidence that it retards growth.

So I think using it to double your output wouldn't be very good for you. There's some evidence it can cause psychosis. I wouldn't have thought it would be very good for your heart.

[Ray Moscow]

In my day, we just had coffee and no-doze. I suppose a few people used amphetamines, but AFAIK not too many.

[Anne]

never head of it, but that only means our friends haven't done it and told us.

Never had it recommended either, when Hex was doing his diss.

[Febble]

Its generic name is methylphenidate, and it's also sold as Concerta and Equasym (sustained release versions).

[Garnet]

I was about to say something about the sheer idiocy of someone taking stimulants to get through college then I remembered my college days and well...I'm in no position to talk. I made it through my last two years on combinations of several kinds of speed and several hundred gallons of beer.

Yes, I was an idiot.

[Lisa0315]

I took a dose of Ritlin before exams in the 1990's. It really helped, or perhaps, the idea of it helped. I am not saying that anyone should do that on a regular basis, and sure as hell not snort it, but I do understand the motivation.

Lisa

[Anne]

Garnet: But you reminded me of this (http://www.airmp3.net/download/-no_smoking/mp3/dlXa_d0862_11)song, which is never a bad thing.

[BWE]

Is there an epidemic of college students with their sinuses worn through or higher heart attacks or stuff like that?