“ADHD Abuse”According to the Center for Disease Control, 15% of high school children are diagnosed with ADHD. The number of those taking stimulant drugs is 3.5 million. ADHD is now the second most common long-term diagnosis in children. (Goodman, December). When you turn off the television or open a magazine today, you are likely to see an advertisement for ADHD medications with an exaggerated idea of ​​ADHD and its symptoms and how safe and effective the medication used to treat it is. ADHD drug makers have bombarded us with ads that exploit parents' fears that their children may have substandard conditions by overstating the benefits of their drugs and underestimating their risks. We talk about stimulant drugs as if they have been used safely and effectively for decades. Doctors are diagnosing ADHD and prescribing medications at an alarming rate. Parents sheepishly accept these diagnoses and fill prescriptions without even asking for a second opinion. With these kinds of commercials shoved down their throats, doctors rushing to write a prescription, and parents not asking questions, our young people have no problem sharing or even selling their medications to their peers or faking symptoms to get a prescription for the drug. They feel like it is safe and will improve their ability to get higher grades in school. While the world stands by and points fingers at each other, our youth are abusing these “safe and effective” drugs. Recent studies have shown that “ADHD abuse,” as it will be defined in this article, has resulted in 2.9 percent of 10th graders and 3.4% of 12th graders abusing methylphenidate. However, the rate of abuse doubles when it comes to amphetamine sticks... in the middle of paper... handing out prescriptions like they're candy, and parents happily accept whatever they're told. When will we turn off our televisions, tear up our magazines, and demand that they adhere to the international treaty signed over 30 years ago, not to advertise controlled substances that have a high potential for abuse (Virtue, 2014)? When will we hold doctors “feet to the fire” and demand that proper procedures be followed before a diagnosis? Why don't we challenge parents to step up and demand more from drug companies, their children's doctors, and themselves? ADHD is real, medications help, there are good doctors and great parents, but things have gotten out of hand. It's time to call the team back from the outfield and review the game. Our children need clear guidance so they know how deadly ADHD abuse can be.