Researchers Identify Association Between Stimulant Therapy for ADHD and Rates of Stimulant Misuse Among Teens
In a new study backed by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a strong association has been identified between prevalence of prescription stimulant therapy for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and rates of stimulant misuse among middle and high school students.
Findings, published this week in JAMA Network Open, are based on data collected in the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study between 2005 and 2020. The MTF is a multicohort survey of legal and illicit drug use among adolescents across the US in grades 8, 10, and 12.
Researchers from the University of Michigan looked at both school- and individual-level characteristics associated with prescription stimulant misuse. A total of 231,141 students at 3284 secondary schools participated in MTF studies. School-level prevalence of nonmedical stimulant use varied from 0% to 25%. Schools with at least 12% of students reporting prescription stimulant therapy for ADHD tended to have the highest percentages of their student body prescription stimulant misuse—8% of the total student body. Schools with 6% or less of their student population reporting stimulant therapy for ADHD were associated with lower rates of prescription stimulant misuse—between 4% and 5%.
“The key takeaway here is not that we need to lessen prescribing of stimulants for students who need them, but that we need better ways to store, monitor, and screen for stimulant access and use among youth to prevent misuse,” study author Sean Esteban McCabe, PhD, said in a news release. “There’s variation in stimulant misuse across different schools, so it’s important to assess schools and implement personalized interventions that work best for each school. It’s also critical to treat and educate teens on prescription stimulants as the medications they are intended to be and limit their availability as drugs of misuse.”
Researchers also noted the following features associated with increased rates of stimulant misuse:
- Having a higher proportion of parents with higher levels of education;
- Being located in non-Northeastern regions and in suburban areas;
- Having a higher proportion of non-Hispanic White students; and
- Showing “medium-level” (10% to 19% of total student body) rates of binge drinking.
NIDA Director Nora Volkow, MD, noted in the news release that the emergence of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and other illicit substances, which can be purchased online, has heightened risks associated with adolescent stimulant misuse.
It’s important to raise awareness of these new risks for teens,” Dr Volkow said. “It’s also essential to provide the necessary resources and education to prevent misuse and support teens during this critical period in their lives when they encounter unique experiences and new stressors.”
Officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration discussed the counterfeit pill challenge further on April 12 at the Rx and Illicit Drug Summit in Atlanta, Georgia.
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