Adderall Controversy in the NFL

Posted by azdrugrehabctr on January 27, 2017 under Addiction Trends, Prescription Drugs | Comments are off for this article

In the past, the NFL has been accused of unlawfully prescribing prescription painkillers and ignoring dangerous head injuries. But now, one player has been caught taking Adderall, violating the league’s drug policy for players. And while Adderall and other ADHD medication are not generally talked about in relation to professional sports, it is a major problem in high schools and college campuses throughout the country. The revelation that a pro football player has such easy access to the drug and took it, according to him, without thinking, may provide just enough reason for a questioning teenager to experiment with it as well.

Kenny Vaccaro, safety for the New Orleans Saints failed a drug analysis test for Adderall. He admitted to taking the drug, but his explanation appears to blame the decision on ignorance. “To be honest, I just made a mistake. I was just tired and I really wasn’t aware of the whole rule thing. The game’s early in the morning, the state fair was going on. I never took it before. I just did it, and it was just a dumb mistake by me, to be honest,” explained Vaccaro. He further explained that he was not taking the drug to enhance his on-field performance, he took it during a bye weekend while watching his younger brother play in the Texas-Oklahoma game.

While his explanation may be true, it does highlight one interesting fact. He did not take it to enhance his playing performance, he took it to party. This is important because it is something that teenagers and college students realized years ago. Yes, the drug genuinely helps those with Attention Deficit Disorder, but it also allows users to stay awake longer, drink more and socialize more. This is why Adderall is one of the fastest growing drugs among young people in the United States.

And while Vaccaro probably did not notice, his explanation of ignorance just underscored why so many people abuse Adderall. For failing his drug test, Vaccaro is suspended for five games and is anxious to resume playing, however he is well aware that he let his team and fans down.