Illegal Advertising and Sales Disguised as 'Study Enhancement Drugs' Cause Insomnia, Hallucinations, and Depression in Regular Students
[Asia Economy Reporter Byun Seon-jin] Ahead of the College Scholastic Ability Test, psychotropic drugs containing the ingredient ‘methylphenidate,’ used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), are being disguised as so-called ‘study-enhancing drugs’ and are being misused and abused. Purchasing such prescription drugs without a doctor's prescription is clearly illegal, and long-term use by non-patients can cause serious side effects, so caution is required.
The Cyber Investigation Team of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety recently announced on the 10th that it had detected a total of 33 cases of advertising and selling psychotropic drugs disguised as having learning effects through online sales sites and social networking services (SNS). All of these involved products containing methylphenidate or related substances.
Methylphenidate is used as a treatment for ADHD in Korea. ADHD patients lack dopamine and norepinephrine, neurotransmitters that regulate attention in the brain, and this medication increases dopamine and norepinephrine to alleviate symptoms in ADHD patients.
So, is the rumor that taking ADHD medication makes you smarter true? Regarding this, Kim Seong-cheol, Academic Committee Member of the Korean Pharmaceutical Association (PharmD), firmly stated, “For several years, ADHD medication has been known among academies and parents in the Gangnam area as having learning effects, but this is completely untrue.” He warned, “If ordinary people take it continuously and habitually, it is a dangerous drug and a narcotic that can ruin their lives entirely.”
Kim explained, “The false rumor about learning effects spread because people only looked at the result that ADHD students’ grades improved after taking the medication due to increased concentration.” He pointed out, “If a regular student takes ADHD medication, insomnia occurs, and if insomnia persists, it can lead to hallucinations, depression, and in severe cases, even suicide.” He further explained that if a student with high concentration takes ADHD medication from the first to the third year of high school, they may become overly sensitive to trivial matters or become dazed, ultimately leading to failure in the College Scholastic Ability Test.
However, marketing of ADHD drugs exploiting the anxiety of parents and examinees ahead of the test continues unabated. Even now, if you search for ‘Penid,’ an abbreviation of methylphenidate, on online sites, you can find many sales posts stating “You can purchase by contacting via Telegram.” Moreover, since psychotropic drugs require a doctor's prescription to be taken, such distribution and sales violate the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, and buyers are also subject to punishment. A source in the medical field said, “In the U.S., ADHD medication is readily available for treatment purposes, so among those distributing and selling it, there are reportedly quite a few international students.”
High-caffeine stimulants are also gaining popularity ahead of the test. However, repeated intake of stimulants can cause cold sweats or a state where the brain is half awake and half asleep, which can actually reduce the quality of learning. Oh Mi-ae, Professor of Psychiatry at Kyung Hee University Hospital, advised, “For examinees one week before the College Scholastic Ability Test, it is most important to regulate their condition through a regular lifestyle and consume nutrient-rich foods.”
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