在一项针对奥克兰大学学生们进行调查中，6%的学生承认，他们曾经使用“认知增强剂”（cognitive enhancer）帮助自己集中精神，在考试中取得高分。

受访的这400名大学生表示，他们最常使用此类药物是利他林（Ritalin），该药物最常见的用途，是用于治疗多动症（ADHD）。

事实上，高校学生使用“助考兴奋剂”的问题此前就曾在海外引发过强烈关注，有调查称，25%的美国高校学生曾使用类似药物帮助集中精力。为了解决这一问题，高校方面甚至开始对学生进行随机的药物抽检，还有一名新西兰学生因向同学提供此类药物而受到指控。

奥克兰大学药学院高级讲师、该调查报告的撰写人Dr Bruce Russell表示，虽然与海外调查数据相比，新西兰学生服用此类药物的比例并不算太高，但这并不意味着大家就能对此掉以轻心。Dr Bruce Russell称，如果仅仅只是偶尔、少量地服用此类药物，对身体健康可能造成的危害并不大，然而，如果学生们在无医生指导的状况下摄入了过量此类药品， 则可能引致心血管疾病和情绪焦虑。



----------------

How Can Marijuana Help?

a number of health professionals have recently come out in support for the use of marijuana as a treatment for this disorder, claiming that it is safer and less addictive than traditional stimulant medications.

Additionally, while studies have yet to be conducted on human subjects with ADHD, a number of preclinical studies provide evidence of marijuana’s potential as a treatment for this disorder.

The strongest evidence comes from research which shows that the endocannabinoid system can influence dopamine levels in the brain and that this interaction might actually be altered in patients with ADHD. Specifically, a study published in 2009 found that anandamide levels – one of the cannabinoids that are naturally found in humans – were higher in patients with ADHD. This seems to indicate that the human body may naturally produce more endocannabinoids in an attempt to counter the symptoms of ADHD, leading researchers to believe that the endocannabinoid system could be effectively targeted in the treatment of this disorder.

Furthermore, studies show that cannabinoid receptors are found in higher density in areas of the brain that are linked to ADHD, specifically the amygdala and hippocampus regions. These regions of the brain are known to play a role in emotional regulation and memory as well as bipolar, anxiety and depression disorders.

Finally, there is strong evidence of both THC and CBD having anti-anxiety and anti-depressant effects, which means that even if research eventually shows that medical marijuana cannot treat all aspects of ADHD, it could at least help with the symptoms of anxiety and depression that many patients with ADHD seem to suffer from.