Published 25 August 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b3434
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b3434
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Misuse of ADHD drugs by young people is rising, US poisons data show
Michael Day
1 Milan
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
The misuse by young people in the United States of drugs to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has risen by more than 75% in eight years, a study indicates.
Researchers at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, who made the discovery, called on prescribers and parents to be aware of the potential for the drugs to be misused (Pediatrics doi:10.1542/peds.2008-0931).
They analysed the American Association of Poison Control Center’s national poison data system for the years 1998 to 2005, looking at all cases involving 13-19 year olds who intentionally misused ADHD drugs. These drugs often include mixed amphetamine salts and methylphenidate.
The number of phone calls to poison centres relating to adolescents’ misuse of prescribed ADHD drugs rose from 330 to 581 over this period, a rise of 76% and a greater rise than that in the number of calls relating to young people’s substance misuse generally. The
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