Intranasal Use of Prescription Stimulants Among Adults Aged 18 to 30: Results From A Crowdsourcing Platform

Suzanne K. Vosburg; Stephen V. Faraone; Elizabeth Riley; Timothy Whitaker; Jessica Kardish; David Baker; Scott H. Kollins; Craig R. Rush

doi:10.1177/10870547221112948

Intranasal Use of Prescription Stimulants Among Adults Aged 18 to 30: Results From A Crowdsourcing Platform

Suzanne K. Vosburg
, Stephen V. Faraone
, Elizabeth Riley
, Timothy Whitaker
, Jessica Kardish
, David Baker
, Scott H. Kollins
, Craig R. Rush

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Objective: Few studies of prescription stimulant non-oral, non-medical use (NMU) (defined by use not as prescribed) have been conducted in adults beyond the college population. The purpose of this study was to characterize prescription stimulant non-oral use, specifically intranasal (IN) use (snorting) in young adults. Method: Amazon’s MTurk platform was used to recruit participants for an online survey. Data were collected from March to April 2020. Results: Thirty-two percent (n = 157) of survey respondents (N = 975), aged 18 to 30, reported IN prescription stimulant use (average of 32.1 episodes of lifetime IN use). Adderall was the most-reported prescription stimulant used intranasally (89.2%). Most IN users (82%; n = 68) reported spending no more than 5 minutes tampering with prescription stimulants. Intranasal users said they would take the medication orally if unable to tamper or manipulate medication for IN use. Conclusion: These data help quantify a complex public health issue of ongoing IN use of prescription stimulants and suggest a potential role for manipulation-deterrent medications.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	14-25
Number of pages	12
Journal	Journal of Attention Disorders
Volume	27
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/10870547221112948
State	Published - Jan 2023

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© ©The Author(s) 2022.

Funding

The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by Vallon Pharmaceuticals (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA). Vallon Pharmaceuticals funded this study and was involved with the initial study conceptualization and analysis. However, final data analysis, interpretation and writing up of results was the sole discretion of the authors. Vallon Pharmaceuticals reviewed the final manuscript.

Funders
Vallon Pharmaceuticals, Inc

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

ADHD
intranasal use
non-medical use
prescription stimulants

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Developmental and Educational Psychology
Clinical Psychology

Access to Document

10.1177/10870547221112948

Cite this

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title = "Intranasal Use of Prescription Stimulants Among Adults Aged 18 to 30: Results From A Crowdsourcing Platform",

abstract = "Objective: Few studies of prescription stimulant non-oral, non-medical use (NMU) (defined by use not as prescribed) have been conducted in adults beyond the college population. The purpose of this study was to characterize prescription stimulant non-oral use, specifically intranasal (IN) use (snorting) in young adults. Method: Amazon{\textquoteright}s MTurk platform was used to recruit participants for an online survey. Data were collected from March to April 2020. Results: Thirty-two percent (n = 157) of survey respondents (N = 975), aged 18 to 30, reported IN prescription stimulant use (average of 32.1 episodes of lifetime IN use). Adderall was the most-reported prescription stimulant used intranasally (89.2\%). Most IN users (82\%; n = 68) reported spending no more than 5 minutes tampering with prescription stimulants. Intranasal users said they would take the medication orally if unable to tamper or manipulate medication for IN use. Conclusion: These data help quantify a complex public health issue of ongoing IN use of prescription stimulants and suggest a potential role for manipulation-deterrent medications.",

keywords = "ADHD, intranasal use, non-medical use, prescription stimulants",

author = "Vosburg, \{Suzanne K.\} and Faraone, \{Stephen V.\} and Elizabeth Riley and Timothy Whitaker and Jessica Kardish and David Baker and Kollins, \{Scott H.\} and Rush, \{Craig R.\}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} {\textcopyright}The Author(s) 2022.",

year = "2023",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1177/10870547221112948",

language = "English",

volume = "27",

pages = "14--25",

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T2 - Results From A Crowdsourcing Platform

AU - Vosburg, Suzanne K.

AU - Faraone, Stephen V.

AU - Riley, Elizabeth

AU - Whitaker, Timothy

AU - Kardish, Jessica

AU - Baker, David

AU - Kollins, Scott H.

AU - Rush, Craig R.

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © ©The Author(s) 2022.

PY - 2023/1

Y1 - 2023/1

N2 - Objective: Few studies of prescription stimulant non-oral, non-medical use (NMU) (defined by use not as prescribed) have been conducted in adults beyond the college population. The purpose of this study was to characterize prescription stimulant non-oral use, specifically intranasal (IN) use (snorting) in young adults. Method: Amazon’s MTurk platform was used to recruit participants for an online survey. Data were collected from March to April 2020. Results: Thirty-two percent (n = 157) of survey respondents (N = 975), aged 18 to 30, reported IN prescription stimulant use (average of 32.1 episodes of lifetime IN use). Adderall was the most-reported prescription stimulant used intranasally (89.2%). Most IN users (82%; n = 68) reported spending no more than 5 minutes tampering with prescription stimulants. Intranasal users said they would take the medication orally if unable to tamper or manipulate medication for IN use. Conclusion: These data help quantify a complex public health issue of ongoing IN use of prescription stimulants and suggest a potential role for manipulation-deterrent medications.

AB - Objective: Few studies of prescription stimulant non-oral, non-medical use (NMU) (defined by use not as prescribed) have been conducted in adults beyond the college population. The purpose of this study was to characterize prescription stimulant non-oral use, specifically intranasal (IN) use (snorting) in young adults. Method: Amazon’s MTurk platform was used to recruit participants for an online survey. Data were collected from March to April 2020. Results: Thirty-two percent (n = 157) of survey respondents (N = 975), aged 18 to 30, reported IN prescription stimulant use (average of 32.1 episodes of lifetime IN use). Adderall was the most-reported prescription stimulant used intranasally (89.2%). Most IN users (82%; n = 68) reported spending no more than 5 minutes tampering with prescription stimulants. Intranasal users said they would take the medication orally if unable to tamper or manipulate medication for IN use. Conclusion: These data help quantify a complex public health issue of ongoing IN use of prescription stimulants and suggest a potential role for manipulation-deterrent medications.

KW - ADHD

KW - intranasal use

KW - non-medical use

KW - prescription stimulants

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Intranasal Use of Prescription Stimulants Among Adults Aged 18 to 30: Results From A Crowdsourcing Platform

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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