Drugs, Law Schools

Law Students: We Know Your Little Secret

Is this what it takes to get ahead?

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Adderall-pillboxIs taking Adderall — without a prescription — a problem in law schools? The drug, which is prescribed as a treatment for ADHD has a reputation for… assisting students with studying and staying up for all-nighters. But is this a big problem on law school campuses?

According to an article by Leigh Jones at Law.com, while the issue isn’t quite at epidemic levels, off-label uses for Adderall is on the rise:

A survey with responses from 3,400 law students published in August showed that 14 percent said they had taken a prescribed drug without a prescription within the last 12 months, and 79 percent of the students who had taken a controlled substance without a prescription identified Adderall as the drug they took.

The study, “Suffering in Silence: The Survey of Law Student Well-Being” published in the Journal of Legal Education, was conducted by Jerome Organ, professor at the University of St. Thomas School of Law; David Jaffe, associate dean for student affairs at American University Washington College of Law; and Katherine Bender, a professor in the education counseling department at Bridgewater State University.

And John Delony, associate academic dean for student life at Texas Tech University College of Law, believes the number is much higher and that students — fearful of jeopardizing graduation or admission to the bar — are hiding it.

The rumor mill at lots of schools certainly seems to support that theory, and so do anonymous forums like Reddit:

Posts on blogs and message boards highlight the pervasiveness of the drug’s misuse. Last year, a question reposted on Reddit about Adderall’s presence in law schools prompted a string of comments, including, “It’s prevalent, it’s also hilariously obvious to anyone who has taken it when others are on it,” and “It seemed like everyone and their brother was taking them at my school,” and “I was surprised come finals-time how many people were taking Adderall or something similar.”

But it’s a tricky problem for law schools to address. The pressure and competition in law schools is notorious. Everyone seems to want the same selective opportunities, and in that intense environment, students look for an advantage. It’s a challenge to convince students, especially ones who feel they’ll gotten positive results in the past, that taking Adderall without a prescription isn’t the solution they seek.

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Adderall in Law Schools: A Dirty Little Secret [Law.com]

Kathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).

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