Are you on drugs? This is the sort of question parents have traditionally asked their children when they have noticed problems or changes in their child's behavior. Classic signs have been altered sleeping habits, moodiness and slipping grades. So what might a parent say if their child had altered sleeping habits, moodiness, acute behavioral changes, but whose grades are better than ever? The parents might just say that their child is studying and working hard - which is probably true. There is another answer that is becoming ever more common in today's colleges, which is that they are on drugs, specifically Adderall.

College has always been known as a place for experimentation. Students may drink, smoke weed or may even induce hallucinations. These activities are commonly saved for the precious free time of students who use drugs and alcohol to relax and blow off steam after a hard week of studying, exams and work. Some students do not even have the time for this experimentation. They do not have the time to roll up a joint on a Saturday night or to share a 12-pack with a couple of friends on Sunday. Some must inevitably work through the night to complete a final paper or assignment; so they turn to drugs. Not for fun, but to allow them to study harder, faster and longer.

Adderall is intended primarily to treat ADHD in adults. It is mainly composed of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine. Amphetamine, commonly referred to as speed, affects the control of dopamine and serotonin in the brain. It increases energy and allows for greater concentration. Side effects of Adderall can include headache, insomnia, weight loss, depression and loss of libido.

Amphetamines like Adderall have a long history of abuse for both recreation and work.

According to a report done by the Drug Enforcement Agency, the use of drugs like Adderall has continued to increase over the years. This is probably not surprising to current college students. Adderall is extremely common on campus and is easy to obtain. It is much simpler to obtain Adderall than it is to buy most illegal drugs. Most people have a friend or acquaintance who is prescribed Adderall legally. If they do not have a friend who is prescribed it, they likely know someone who is willing to sell it.

A recent study by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that 6.4 percent of full-time college students, between 18 and 22, have tried Adderall at least once for non medical uses. So why has Adderall become so popular among college students? The answer is simple: it works. Adderall allows students to stay up longer, concentrate harder and to absorb more in a set period of time.

The concept of cramming is no stranger to any dedicated student. Busy schedules and difficult demands sometimes force students to study very late into the night. Imagine the advantage of being able to study through the entire night, without the slowdown of fatigue or distractions, and be fully awake and focused when it came time for the test. The advantage is clear.

Amphetamines like Adderall have a long history of abuse for both recreation and work. Jack Kerouac credited the amphetamine in his Benzedrine for allowing him to write his famous novel "On the Road" in just three weeks.

What does it say about our college system and our society that students think that they need to take prescription speed in order to succeed? Is it unfair that some students are given this concentration advantage? Perhaps every student should be prescribed Adderall. College students are under huge amounts of pressure to perform not only in classes, but from countless other social obligations and requirements that they are expected to fulfill. It is naive to think that this sort of abuse will not spread.

Adderall is not only becoming more popular, it is becoming more available. It is not being used by drug addicts or desperate students trying to barely pass; it is being used by hard working intelligent students that are willing to do anything to succeed in this high-pressure system. College students are not the only ones under increasing pressure. High schools are also experiencing increasing uses of stimulants like Adderall among students.

Society often pegs drug users as the lowest denominator of society. These people have historically been labeled as the lazy and the weak, escaping the pressures and demands of society through drugs. Well, at least those people had some fun. It's becoming more and more difficult to blame the hippies and the junkies for making drugs so popular in America. Workaholics need their coffee and their Adderall to help them concentrate, moms and high-powered executives use Valium and Xanax to take the edge off the busy days and just about anyone may be taking Prozac or some other antidepressant to cope with the pain of the world.

Perhaps more prescriptions are not the answers to our problems, but in the ever increasing pace of today's world they are probably the easiest.