ABC World News (6/26, story 8, 3:50, Stephanopoulos) reported on what it called a “hidden underworld of mothers” who abuse the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) medication Adderall [amphetamine, dextroamphetamine mixed salts], which some are calling “mother’s new little helper.” Correspondent Dan Harris reported that ABC News received “a wave of anonymous voicemails and e-mails” from women saying they’ve used the medication. “And these women don’t have AD/HD,” Harris added. The report featured interviews with several women who claim to have abused the medication, and showed Marvin Seppala, MD, of the Hazelden Clinic, saying, “We’re seeing an increase in the use of Adderall and other amphetamines by women. A really powerful stimulant, it can cause seizures, strokes, heart attacks, even death.”
