8 Questions Adolescents Are Asking About Stimulants

The National Institute on Drug Abuse recently offered adolescents the first-ever "Drug Facts Chat Day." Students from high schools and middle schools across the country submitted anonymous questions online—about alcohol, the brain, addiction, and everything in between—to NIDA scientists, including some of the nation's top experts in substance abuse. The scientists then responded with personalized, nonjudgmental answers. Below is a sample of the inquiries that relate specifically to attention deficit disorders and the drugs used to treat them. All the questions and answers below are unedited.

Video: ADHD

Among the scientists were Nora Volkow, the director of NIDA; Wilson Compton, director of NIDA's Division of Epidemiology, Services and Prevention Research; Aria Crump, who helps develop drug prevention programs for NIDA; Steve Gust, who directs NIDA's international program, including research and training; Steve Grant, a neuroscientist who investigates cognitive processes in addiction; and Nicolette Borek, a psychologist who oversees research on how exposure to drugs of abuse during the prenatal period affects a baby's brain and behavioral development. —Compiled by Sarah Baldauf

Tetra crew - Tetra Academy - What will happen if I smoke pot while on my adhd meds

Steve Gust - That is hard to predict. ADHD meds are stimulant drugs with their own set of effects, and marijuana has different effects. To my knowledge, there aren't any studies that have measured the effects of these types of drugs when combined—there is a possibility that the combined effects are dangerous, and if the effects counteract each other, it is not likely to help with your ADHD.For more information about marijuana, go to marijuana-info.org/.

shlangbang44 - Briarcliff High School - How will ridillen affective you if you do'nt have a.d.d.

Aria Crump - Ritalin is a stimulant that can affect your heart rate, blood pressure, and other vital functions. It can cause nervousness and insomnia. Because it is such a strong medication, it must be prescribed by a physician who can monitor how it is working for their patient. The important thing to remember is that for people with ADD, it can correct imbalances in brain chemistry and is less likely to cause side effects and because it is being taken under a doctor's supervision any problems that arise can be treated effectively—this is not the case if you take it without a doctor's prescription.

needs to know - Roy Martin Middle School - what does adderall do to you

Steve Grant - Adderall is a brand name for amphetamine. Amphetamine is a stimulant, but it has different effects depending on whether you have a medical disorder or not. Doctors prescribe Adderall to people diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Adderall helps ADHD patients focus and not get distracted. But when a person who doesn't have ADHD takes Adderall, they feel "high" and stimulated, which can lead to them taking Adderall again just for fun, which puts them on the pathway to addiction. You can find out more about that at drugabuse.gov/ and "The Science of Addiction."

Kristin - Bullard - What happens when you take an overdose of ADHD meddication?

Nora Volkow - it can make you paranoid, it can produce seizures, it can also produce heart arrhythmias

Bea_0421 - West Sioux - Can drugs cause disases such as A.D.D or A.D.H.D, if so, Why?

Nicolette Borek - The relationship between drugs and mental or psychiatric disorders such as ADHD can be complex...we're still learning how they are related. Some drugs can effect attention which is also effected by ADHD.

kyle - Ridgewood Middle School - hey can all drugs make yo mentall ill
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mclovin:-)342 - Bullard MS - can people get mental problems from doing drugs?

Wilson Compton - This is an excellent and complicated question. Drug abuse in general is associated with higher rates of many mental illnesses, like depression, schizophrenia, and manic depressive illness. However, one can look at this from either direction: persons with mental illness may use more drugs than other people and early drug use may lead to later mental illness. The reasons why addiction and other mental disorders coincide so frequently are not fully understood. Children and adolescents with psychiatric conditions (conduct disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD] and learning disabilities) are at higher risk of abusing drugs than other youth. Also, you might find it interesting to know that there is evidence that drug abuse early in life may increase the risk of psychiatric disorders or accelerate their course. NIDA-supported investigators are using neuroimaging, genotyping, statistical modeling, and other tools to parse the interplay of risk factors in the development of such disorders. For further information see: http://www.drugabuse.gov/NIDA_notes/NNvol21N2/DirRepVol21N2.html

Trackstar - Jacksonville - Wat are the new new drugs that are out right now that are dangerous and popular

Wilson Compton - We have found that the most commonly abused drugs are tobacco, alcohol and marijuana. These three drugs are still very dangerous and popular. In addition, key drugs that we've become concerned about because they appear to have increased in popularity are prescription drugs (painkillers such as vicodin and oxycontin) stimulants (ritalin and adderal), sedatives and methamphetamine. These drugs are used by a lot of teenagers who may not realize how dangerous they can be. Did you know that drugs can contribute to lots of health problems, including lung and cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and mental disorders? For more information, check out: "The Science of Addiction". I hope this information helps!