PRESCRIPTIONS NO CHECK ON DRUGS FOR SOME

Vicodin, OxyContin, Adderall, Valium. They come in bottles with
child-proof lids and prescription labels. They relieve pain, treat
attention deficit disorder and relax muscle spasms.

But some Duke students have discovered other uses for the pills in
their medicine cabinets.

Li-Tzy Wu, an associate research professor of psychiatry and
behavioral science, found that 7 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17
use prescription drugs without prescriptions, examining data from the
2005 and 2006 National Surveys of Drug Use and Health. Although no
such study has been conducted on Duke students, Wu wrote in an e-mail
that other studies have found a similar prevalence of prescription
drug abuse among college students.

All students interviewed for this article who admitted to abusing
prescription drugs asked that their real names not be used to protect
their identities.

David, a sophomore, said that prescription drug use is "extremely"
prevalent on campus, estimating that 30 to 35 percent of students
experiment with such drugs. He added that he uses painkillers and ADHD
medication while partying.

"With more people taking them for the right reasons, there's always
the chance they can reach people using them for the wrong reasons,"
said Dr. Devdutta Sangvai, medical director of the Duke Student Health
Center.

Sophomore Pronoy Sarkar said although he does not use prescription
drugs himself, he thinks they are relatively cheap and easy for Duke
students to come by.

"Those who use them-and they use them very discreetly-use them as
supplements to other partying," he said. "Adderall can keep you up all
night drinking."

Several other students acknowledged that they take ADHD medication as
party aids. They added that they also experiment with painkillers like
Vicodin and Oxycontin, and described their drug use as being
"occasional" and "very private."

"I like it better than being drunk," said Graham, a sophomore. "The
mixture of the two is good as well."

Pill-popping, however, is not confined to the party
scene.

"There is no doubt about the fact that people use drugs to study,"
Sangvai said.

Will, a junior, also said "study drugs" were commonly used among
students.

"In my humble opinion, Adderall is the drug of choice on Duke's
campus," he said. "I use Adderall when I'm working to stay up longer."

Medical experts said no matter what the intent, there may be a price
to pay for prescription drug abuse.

Sangvai noted that in addition to death and severe injury,
prescription drug abusers risk dependence, tolerance and even addiction.

"You should never take a drug that's not prescribed to you," he said.
"It's pretty dangerous. There are side effects to all
medications."

David said he is conscious of the danger involved with prescription
drugs.

"I'm always concerned about the health risks of anything I do to my
body. I never overdose; I never abuse them in a way that puts me in
harm's way," he said.

For other prescription drug abusers, however, swallowing a pill to
keep them alert and focused might seem as harmless as sipping a coffee
to stay awake.

"Why not [use them]?" Will asked. "I'm taking advantage of the
technological paradigm in which I live."

Ryan, a sophomore who said he dabbles in OxyContin, Vicodin and
Adderall, said his drug use does not negatively affect other aspects
of his life.

"I'm not really concerned about how I live as long as I do well in
school," he said.

Many other students interviewed said that although they are aware of
prescription drug abuse on campus, they are not all swallowing
Adderall before their finals.

"I haven't heard about [abuse happening], but I wouldn't be surprised
if it does," freshman Kiki Contreras said.

Others pointed to the availability of legal alternatives.

"Considering there's coffee and Monster and a bunch of energy drinks,
I don't think you need [them]," said freshman Tim Yoon.