The prescription of Adderall poses unique complications for student-athletes. The medicine is widely abused by young people as both a party drug and as a performance enhancer. As such, it is banned for use by athletes by the NCAA. While athletes can get a waiver, the process requires many weeks and hundreds of dollars to obtain through an approved medical provider.
Student-athletes with ADHD may be forced to choose between their sport and their schooling.
The abuse of Adderall is hurting student-athlete who truly need it.
According to university officials, many of these issues could be solved by the medical community. The head trainer for the University of Montana suggests that there is often a lack of needed paperwork verifying medical need is missing because physicians prescribe Adderall without completing appropriate testing. University of Montana softball player McKenna McGill also points out that it is not often possible to complete the NCAA approved waiver process due to limited availability of campus health care providers.
Key takeaways
- The NCAA has banned Adderall, calling it a “performance enhancer,” and so student-athletes with ADHD who have been prescribed the drug often face a long battle to have their use of the drug allowed.
- Students who are unable to have their ADHD diagnosis verified by the organization’s strict parameters before the start of their season are often forced to choose between continuing their treatment or continuing their sport.
- Often, students with ADHD are left unable to compete and unable to take their medication, leading to significant problems both on and off the field.
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