4 ms·

"About 90% of the diverted immediate-release stimulants are used by a narrow demographic: white male college students" I'll eat my hat if this is actually true

"About 90% of the diverted immediate-release stimulants are used by a narrow demographic: white male college students" I'll eat my hat if this is actually true. US college students are about half white right now. The other half, plus all women, plus all people who don't go to college, plus everyone who isn't 18 to 22, are 10% of the illicit-stimulant market combined? This has to be something made-up to attack what they feel is an outgroup.

throwup238 2y ago
It's "diverted immediate-release stimulants", which usually means patients who sell their legally prescribed drugs instead of taking them. It's not immediately believable without looking at their methodology but I don't think it's all that farfetched. When I was in college the stuff was at least $5/pill with prices rising as high as $20/pill around finals. I suspect it's mostly just socioeconomic bias as it was an easy way for students to earn extra income while having their own supply. Maybe doctors are giving white males extra scrutiny when they ask for their own prescription? It'd be interesting if other demographics preferred non-immediate release stimulants like Vyvanse or less abusable ADHD drugs because they were easier to source without going black market.
- IIAOPSW 2y ago
  Reasons to be skeptical: 1. white, male, college (at least middle class) is exactly the demographic that the system would have provided the benefit of a script to since middle school if they wanted it. Reasons to believe: 1. this is what men do instead of therapy.
  - throwup238 2y ago
    > 1. white, male, college (at least middle class) is exactly the demographic that the system would have provided the benefit of a script to since middle school if they wanted it. Yeah I felt weird writing that. That said, if they’re abusing it their legal prescription is probably not enough. My doctor gave scripts like candy and even he would only give 60 20mg pill per month in addition to the 30 days of 70mg Vyvanse. If the college kids are snorting it, it goes fast. Also just realized that it could be because of exposure to the drug in frats.
    - verdverm 2y ago
      > That said, if they’re abusing it their legal prescription is probably not enough. Adderall is also called kiddie cocaine. It's used as a party drug by crushing it up and snorting it before and during the binge drinking that is also common. Note that only the quick release Adderall works this way and many other ADD drugs cannot be used as a stimulant like this
      - buffington 2y ago
        It's so weird to me that people use Adderall recreationally. It's as "recreational" in my mind as functional shoes are. I usually need them, but they're usually not what makes an activity fun. How is crushing up Adderall and snorting it even worth doing? I've accidentally taken my "normal" Adderall twice and it's an extremely uncomfortable experience. The last place I'd want to be in that state would be at a party, getting drunk. Sitting in a quiet place and rocking/sweating/puking until it's done is more what comes to mind. For what it's worth, there's no "quick release" Adderall. There's a normal kind, and an "extended release" kind (officially Adderall XR). The latter encapsulates little beads of the drug in coatings that dissolve at different rates, allowing the dose to be spread out over a longer period of time. What I think you're referring to when you say "quick release" is the non-XR variant of the drug. The drug found in Adderall XR is identical to that of Adderall with the exception of the coatings on the beads. I think crushing up those beads would likely work the same as crushing up an Adderall tablet, assuming the coatings on the beads were also suitably crushed. Not something I'll be testing any time soon though.
        verdverm 2y ago
        > How is crushing up Adderall and snorting it even worth doing? Same reason people do cocaine, it's an upper that allows you to keep partying. > I've accidentally taken my "normal" Adderall twice and it's an extremely uncomfortable experience. The last place I'd want to be in that state would be at a party, getting drunk. Sitting in a quiet place and rocking/sweating/puking until it's done is more what comes to mind. That's not the experience most have when doing it, afaik, most of these people are not prescribed adderall to begin with. They also weren't railing a whole pill, they were often shared among several people, smaller doses

throwup238 2y ago

It's "diverted immediate-release stimulants", which usually means patients who sell their legally prescribed drugs instead of taking them. It's not immediately believable without looking at their methodology but I don't think it's all that farfetched. When I was in college the stuff was at least $5/pill with prices rising as high as $20/pill around finals. I suspect it's mostly just socioeconomic bias as it was an easy way for students to earn extra income while having their own supply. Maybe doctors are giving white males extra scrutiny when they ask for their own prescription? It'd be interesting if other demographics preferred non-immediate release stimulants like Vyvanse or less abusable ADHD drugs because they were easier to source without going black market.

IIAOPSW 2y ago
Reasons to be skeptical: 1. white, male, college (at least middle class) is exactly the demographic that the system would have provided the benefit of a script to since middle school if they wanted it. Reasons to believe: 1. this is what men do instead of therapy.
- throwup238 2y ago
  > 1. white, male, college (at least middle class) is exactly the demographic that the system would have provided the benefit of a script to since middle school if they wanted it. Yeah I felt weird writing that. That said, if they’re abusing it their legal prescription is probably not enough. My doctor gave scripts like candy and even he would only give 60 20mg pill per month in addition to the 30 days of 70mg Vyvanse. If the college kids are snorting it, it goes fast. Also just realized that it could be because of exposure to the drug in frats.
  - verdverm 2y ago
    > That said, if they’re abusing it their legal prescription is probably not enough. Adderall is also called kiddie cocaine. It's used as a party drug by crushing it up and snorting it before and during the binge drinking that is also common. Note that only the quick release Adderall works this way and many other ADD drugs cannot be used as a stimulant like this
    - buffington 2y ago
      It's so weird to me that people use Adderall recreationally. It's as "recreational" in my mind as functional shoes are. I usually need them, but they're usually not what makes an activity fun. How is crushing up Adderall and snorting it even worth doing? I've accidentally taken my "normal" Adderall twice and it's an extremely uncomfortable experience. The last place I'd want to be in that state would be at a party, getting drunk. Sitting in a quiet place and rocking/sweating/puking until it's done is more what comes to mind. For what it's worth, there's no "quick release" Adderall. There's a normal kind, and an "extended release" kind (officially Adderall XR). The latter encapsulates little beads of the drug in coatings that dissolve at different rates, allowing the dose to be spread out over a longer period of time. What I think you're referring to when you say "quick release" is the non-XR variant of the drug. The drug found in Adderall XR is identical to that of Adderall with the exception of the coatings on the beads. I think crushing up those beads would likely work the same as crushing up an Adderall tablet, assuming the coatings on the beads were also suitably crushed. Not something I'll be testing any time soon though.
      - verdverm 2y ago
        > How is crushing up Adderall and snorting it even worth doing? Same reason people do cocaine, it's an upper that allows you to keep partying. > I've accidentally taken my "normal" Adderall twice and it's an extremely uncomfortable experience. The last place I'd want to be in that state would be at a party, getting drunk. Sitting in a quiet place and rocking/sweating/puking until it's done is more what comes to mind. That's not the experience most have when doing it, afaik, most of these people are not prescribed adderall to begin with. They also weren't railing a whole pill, they were often shared among several people, smaller doses