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It took less than a minute for a Daily Nebraskan reporter to obtain Adderall from a randomly selected stranger in the stacks of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Love Library.
The experiment mimicked similar findings from the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, who sent students into the library at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Those students were able to find connections to Adderall, a prescription ADHD drug, in less than a minute. Adderall is also a popular study drug for the focus it provides.
TOO EASY
Repeated attempts of this experiment at different locations around UNL yesterday resulted in varied instances of finding a stranger willing to provide Adderall. The Daily Nebraskan sent a reporter to Love Library, the Nebraska Union and Selleck Dining Center in search of the drug.
In Love South, it took less than three minutes. The first person approached, studying in the level 1-A stacks, said it would take him about one day to provide the reporter with Adderall.
Two of three people asked at the library at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday said they could provide connections to Adderall.
In the union, it took much longer. Around half an hour passed before a student said he could give the reporter Adderall, but only through his friends.
Students sitting by the Caffina Cafe, walking by Sbarro and studying in the west side of the building all denied having any connections to illicit prescription drug sales.
Only two people out of the 10 approached at the union said they had a connection to Adderall.
In Selleck Dining Center, the reporter was able to find a table of students saying they had a connection to Adderall and other prescription drugs in less than 15 minutes. Five others who were asked in the dining center said they had no connection.
TOUGH CATCH
Sergeant Jerry Plessel with the University Police said there have only been six cases of illegal prescription drugs found on campus since August of 2010.
"I wouldn't say it's a big problem at all," Plessel said.
He said there was no consistency or pattern of any certain drug. Drugs found include Adderall, hydrocodone and Vicodin among other prescription drugs without common names.
The drugs are usually found via traffic stops, phone reports of someone selling drugs or, most frequently, calls to check on the smell of marijuana coming from a dorm room, Plessel said.
"You never know when you're going to find it," he said.
Being in possession of a drug prescribed to someone else and considered a controlled substance is a felony, Plessel said. Anyone found in possession would be ticketed and lodged in Lancaster County Corrections Facility.
There is a difference between controlled substances and legend drugs, he said. Legend drugs are prescribed by a doctor and carry a less serious sentence for illegal possession. There are two types of legend drugs: controlled substances or narcotics, and non-narcotics. Being caught with non-narcotic legend drugs is a misdemeanor instead of a felony because the drugs may not be as harmful or addictive, he said.
Kim Aldridge, chief pharmacist at the University Health Center, said the center takes steps to prevent students from abusing their prescription drugs.
"The main thing we can do is just work with the doctor to make sure what is prescribed is appropriate for the medical condition," she said. "And we make sure there's an appropriate length of time in-between refills."
Aldridge said using Adderall inappropriately can result in a pounding heart rate, loss of appetite and insomnia. She said many prescription drugs can also be addictive, including Adderall and Vicodin, both found on UNL's campus according to police reports.
If there is a suspected problem with a student and their prescriptions, she said, the pharmacy will talk with the student and their prescribing physician.
"Lots of times that physician will work with the student and prescribe something different or get them to another doctor who can help with the addiction," Aldridge said.
If a student is suspected of tampering with a prescription, the Health Center will refuse to fill their prescriptions.
"I'm sure it's not worth what they're going to lose in the long run when they get caught," Aldridge said. "And eventually they all get caught."
Katie Mroczek, a sophomore nutrition science major, said prescription-drug abuse was more prevalent in her hometown of North Platte, Neb., than at UNL.
"I think it was more common in my hometown," she said. "I haven't seen it hardly at all in college."
Anecdotally available, but not a largely recorded problem at UNL, the difficulty of monitoring these prescription drugs means they may continue to be part of higher education both at UNL and nationally.
HAILEYKONNATH@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM
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2 comments
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Love,
Me