ADHD Medication Prescriptions Increase Over 3 Times
Prescriptions for Teenagers Also Rise... Concerns Over Misuse
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) medications, which require a doctor's prescription to purchase, are increasingly being misused among exam-takers as so-called "study-enhancing drugs."
On the 10th, Han Ji-a, a member of the People Power Party, claimed that ADHD medications are being misused based on data received from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. According to the data, prescriptions for Janssen's 'Concerta,' an ADHD medication, increased more than threefold from 363,763 cases in 2019 to 1,201,701 cases in 2023. Notably, 65.66% of prescriptions last year, totaling 788,933 cases, were for individuals in their teens and twenties.
ADHD is characterized by symptoms such as decreased attention, distractibility, and difficulties with impulse control and behavior regulation. When methylphenidate-based medications are prescribed to ADHD patients, the drugs help increase dopamine release, aiding in impulse control and enabling a healthier lifestyle. However, among exam-takers, methylphenidate drugs like 'Concerta' are misused under the belief that they enhance concentration, earning the nickname "study-enhancing drugs."
In Seoul alone, 439,070 prescriptions for Concerta were issued last year. Among these, Gangnam-gu accounted for 15.09% with 66,277 prescriptions, followed by Songpa-gu (45,103 prescriptions) and Seocho-gu (44,873 prescriptions). On the same day, Kim Dae-sik, another member of the People Power Party, disclosed data obtained from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the National Health Insurance Service, showing that the number of ADHD patients in their teens in Seoul surged by 64.3%, from 10,489 in 2021 to 17,230 last year.
This phenomenon is presumed to be due to the popularity of ADHD medications among exam-takers. However, when individuals without ADHD take these medications, dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the nerve terminals are forcibly elevated, leading to excessive excitement and increased drug dependence, which can result in addiction.
Exposure to psychotropic drugs at a young age is also problematic. Last year, the number of teenage drug offenders reached 1,477, more than tripling compared to 2022. Many of these individuals reportedly became addicted after taking ADHD medications during adolescence or psychotropic drugs prescribed for weight loss, such as Dietamin.
Representative Han stated, "As the September mock exams and November College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT) approach, ADHD medications may once again be disguised as 'study-enhancing drugs,' especially in areas densely populated with private academies, potentially misleading exam-takers. We will work with relevant ministries to create a safer medication environment through legislative and policy efforts to prevent young people from falling into drug misuse and losing their mental and physical health."
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that it will add key safety usage standards related to methylphenidate?whose prescriptions and patient numbers have increased?to the "Measures to Prevent the Misuse of Narcotics (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Notice)." The ministry plans to impose prescription restrictions or bans on medical practitioners who prescribe beyond misuse control standards without medical justification. Key points of the ADHD medication safety usage standards include ▲use only for patients diagnosed with ADHD and ▲prescriptions limited to within three months per issuance. Additionally, the ministry will conduct joint inspections and monitoring with police and prosecutors targeting medical institutions and users suspected of methylphenidate misuse.
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