The New York Times (8/9, A10, Tavernise, Subscription Publication) reports that according to data (pdf) released yesterday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, there has been a four-fold increase “in the number of young adults” seeking care in the emergency department after abusing or misusing stimulant medications normally used for the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The SAMHSA data reveal that the number of ED visits “related to stimulants among people ages 18 to 34 increased to 23,000 in 2011, from 5,600 in 2005,” with the rise “particularly pronounced among 18- to 25-year-olds.” The stimulant medications noted in the report include Ritalin (methylphenidate) and Adderall (amphetamine, dextroamphetamine mixed salts), among others.
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— “New Sign of Stimulants’ Toll on Young, “Sabrina Tavernise, The New York Times, August 8, 2013.