Arguing for the government: Ana Gladys Rivera
Some of those alternatives are not always the right ones. Students caught using Adderall and Ritalin for academic enhancement should be immediately expelled from university due to the health hazards and academic dishonesty.
Adderall and Ritalin are two strong prescription medications used to treat and control symptoms of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
What many students do not realize is they are causing harm to their bodies while helping them succeed academically.
These prescription medicines have secondary effects that can cause damage.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine’s website reports Ritalin and Adderall can be habit-forming and a person can become dependent on the drug after using it long term.
A student can be taking them because their body can long for it even though they don’t need it.
For someone who does not have these medications prescribed to them, it can cause secondary effects such as fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat, fainting, hallucinating, motor or verbal tics and uncontrollable movement of a part of the body among others.
Students who take medications for academic enhancement would not be able to enhance their academic plans when they are in the emergency room getting help for the secondary effects Adderall or Ritalin had caused them.
CSUN has a zero tolerance drug policy and must enforce the policy and expel students abusing medication for academic enhancement .
Academic dishonesty is a greater reason for a student to get expelled, and taking these prescription drugs is academic dishonesty.
Adderall and Ritalin give an unfair advantage to a student, similar to steroid abuse in sports. It is unfair for the students who do not use them during testing.
Students who cheat their way through their academic career should be expelled and they should give up their space to students who work hard for their academic success.
It is the university’s job to create a safe and fun environment for the students and if another student is disturbing it, then he or she must be expelled.
Students must create a fair and healthy environment to compete academically.
Ana Gladys Rivera is a COMS-225 Argumentation student
Arguing for the opposition:Sarah Godinez
It was midterms week and CSUN senior James Smith (not his real name) didn’t have any idea how he would be able to focus all night to study for exams. Smith spent days pulling all-nighters studying for three exams, writing papers and doing a play. The only thing left was his biology exam, but as 1 a.m. approached, his focus was slowly deteriorating.
Smith remembered his roommate had Adderall in his nightstand. So he popped a 20 milligram tablet into his mouth, washed it with orange juice and went back to his desk. The next day, he went in class and passed the test with an A.
“The pill helped me be alert and focused throughout the night. I don’t think I could have kept my 3.8 GPA if I didn’t take the pill,” Smith said afterward.
At many colleges across the country, main ingredients for academic success are analeptics, mainly Adderall and Ritalin. These prescription drugs are designed for people with ADHD, a neurologically based behavioral disorders. However, Adderall and Ritalin have been shown to increase attention span and reduce hyperactivity, and impulsive actions in individuals without ADHD.
But are they dangerous? Most students are going to school and have a job. After a while it all builds up to the point where we surpass our breaking point. We need to compete with other students to get a high grade in class. Adderall and Ritalin are just a way to help us do better.
These prescription drugs are designed to reduce the three main symptoms of ADHD inattention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Adderall decreases distractibility and improves attention span.
Most colleges strive for excellence. Students are pressured to get good grades, go to work and still deal with everyday situations. How do colleges really expect us to get through all of these situations and still have high GPA’s? We are not super heroes.
A study from Northeastern University found the primary motives for illicit use were to enhance academic performance and less than one-fifth of users intended to get high. These pills have been said to been used for partying but in reality most students use them because they actually want to improve academically. They need a stimulant to help them focus and be able to study.
It seems more students are relying on pills because they have more work piled on. Many professors think everything is easy so they add more assignments. They don’t take into consideration that we have other classes.
Colleges need to understand why students are taking these stimulants. It’s not just because they want to, it’s because we have to. Students shouldn’t be expelled for wanting to do better in school and if it takes a pill to help them out then it needs to be done.
Sarah Godinez is a COMS-225 Argumentation student
