This is an article from the UK, but Ritalin use is also rampant in US colleges. No more using caffeine to get an edge for “cramming for exams”...just pop a Ritalin.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/oxfordshire/6766847.stm
Nothing really new. When I was in college some 50 years ago, the appetite suppressant Dexadrene (spelling?) was extremely popular during exam week. I believe it's another variety of methamphetamine.
There’s little evidence to suggest that Ritalin carries any more potential for harmful side effects than caffeine. An excess of either one can be dangerous, though caffeine seems to be more prone to causing emergency room visits and hospitalizations, probably just because people perceive it to be “safe” and don’t exercise caution in the amount they use. Not that it’s really possible to measure caffeine intake, since few if any of the caffeinated beverages on the market indicate how much caffeine they contain, even though some are loaded with really dangerous amounts. At least Ritalin and Adderall are sold in tablets containing precisely labelled and disclosed amounts.
Energy Drinks’ Caffeine Buzz Can Land the Unwary in the ER
http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/833954/energy_drinks_caffeine_buzz_can_land_the_unwary_in_the/index.html?source=r_health