Korean students abuse ADHD meds more than cigarettes

Driven by intense academic pressure, more Korean teenagers abuse prescription stimulants now than smoke cigarettes. A recent National Youth Policy Institute survey of 3,384 middle and high school students nationwide found that 5.2 percent of respondents admitted to taking at least one prescription drug without a prescription. In contrast, only 4.2 percent reported smoking a cigarette at least once. The study highlights a dangerous shift toward the misuse of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication. Among teenagers who reported taking unprescribed drugs over the past six months, 24.4 percent consumed methylphenidate, a central nervous system stimulant prescribed for attention problems and ADHD. Appetite suppressants were the second-most misused drug at 20 percent, followed by sleep aids and anti-anxiety medications at 13.3 percent each. The frequency of methylphenidate abuse is particularly severe. Among those who misused the ADHD medication over a six-month period, 23.1 percent took the drug 20 or more times a month, while 7.6 percent consumed it 6 to 19 times a month. T

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