A report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) stated that ER visits linked to consuming energy drinks rose from 1,128 visits in 2005 to 13,114 in 2009. This unit of the Department of Health and Human Services reported that more than half of these visits were college-age males between 18 and 25 years old. Teens, ages 12 to 17, and adults over 40 were the smallest percentage age group with 11 percent of visits.

Dr. Cecile Marczinski, an assistant professor of psychology at Northern Kentucky University, says that caffeine intake from energy drinks is more dangerous than from coffee. Energy drinks come in containers much larger than a coffee cup. Also, because they are cold and sweet they are consumed like thirst-quenchers (more quickly and in greater amounts). Before they know it, a person may have inadvertently consumed much more caffeine than they realized.

Although Marczinski states that energy drinks are only reported to contain as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, stimulant herbs like guarana give the drink an added boost. What disturbs Marczinski is that beverage companies don’t have to report how much caffeine is in their beverage. But the herbs in their drinks may contain a large amount of caffeine.

SAMHSA reported that 56 percent of the ER visits were people who had only consumed energy drinks. Although the report did not state the symptoms suffered by that percentage, they mentioned other reports that cited complications of energy drinks. Dr. Tamara R. Kuittinen, Director of Medical Education in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, stated that some symptoms of excessive intake of energy drinks include the following:

• Elevated blood pressure
• Rapid heart rate
• Fever
• Moodiness and agitation
• Confusion
• Difficulty with fine motor control

The American Beverage Association counters that these statistics are misleading. They point out that out of the 123 million-plus visits to the ER each year, those relating to consumption of energy drinks only account for less than one one-hundredth of one percent.

They stress that 44 percent of ER visits resulted from combining energy drinks with medications, alcohol or illegal drugs. Twenty-seven percent of these visits were related to medications, 16 percent with alcohol and 10 percent with illegal drugs. The report by SAMHSA alerts consumers to monitor their intake of caffeinated substances and to be aware of the effects of mixing other substances with energy drinks.

But energy and enhanced performance are packaged in pill form as well – and not just for professional athletes looking to add muscle to their muscle. The bank officer, the advertising executive and even good old mom have turned to the power of a pill to get them over the top.

It’s a sad fact that the most abused drugs on college campuses today are medicines initially intended to help children with ADHD. Medications such as methylphenidate and amphetamine/ dextroamphetamine were created to aid children with the disorder so that they could participate in regular classrooms.

Today, college campuses are awash in drugs like Adderall, the very same medicine used to treat childhood ADHD. College students are using the drugs to focus more intently during study and improve their ability to get schoolwork completed. As bad as it is, the abuse doesn’t end with college graduation.

Many 20-somethings fresh out of college are taking their drug habit with them into the workplace. It’s a competitive climate and young college grads are finding it particularly difficult to get work. It isn’t surprising that they are fueling their need to outperform others in the office the same way they juiced up their academic performance – with prescription medications.

Studies say that 11 to 15 percent of post-graduates continue to abuse drugs like modafinil (brand name Provigil) once they enter the workplace. Increased ability to focus, more stamina and ramped up productivity keep young professionals popping pills never prescribed to them.

Provigil is another example of a drug designed to help people in a narrowly defined group. The medication has been approved to "improve wakefulness" for those who battle narcolepsy, sleep apnea and shift-work sleep disorder. It is available over the Internet with no prescription. Sales of the mood-brightening, memory-enhancing drug have more than doubled in recent years. But have these specific health conditions tripled?

Sadly, even moms who’ve chosen the at-home career path are buying into the drug-enhanced culture. Tagged as "cosmetic neurology," moms are taking mind- and performance-boosting medications they obtain through legal and illegal channels. Some studies show that the presence of stimulants within the United States has more than tripled over the last decade.

While many are looking for the glad super-pill, some seek out the sad. More and more, people (mostly women) who have never received a clinical diagnosis for anxiety are being prescribed anti-anxiety medications to help them face stressful situations. Drugs like lorazepam, alprazolam and clonazepam are replacing the "take a deep breath" and think positively approach to staring down unpleasant circumstances.

In the old days, medicine was used to make sick people well. Now, people are on the hunt for pills to make well people even better. People looking for the power to outperform their office mates, moms who want something to motor them through never-ending lists of chores at home, and anyone seeking to add some sparkle to their social interactions – all are looking into the medicine cabinet to find ways to "improve" themselves. Small wonder this generation has been termed Generation Rx.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers (http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/Portals/0/prrel/BathSalts11811.pdf) issued a press in 2011 raising the alarm about toxic substances marketed as ‘bath salts’ and said states are beginning to take action. The products cause increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, agitation, hallucinations, extreme paranoia and delusions.

What ‘bath salts’ are

‘Bath salts’ contain powerful stimulants methedrone and methylenedioxypyrovalerone, also called MDPV, and there have been scattered reports across the country of drug-induced deaths accidental overdose or suicide.

How are these chemicals used? According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, most patients calling the poison centers have snorted the substances. In at least one instance, the substance was injected into the individual’s veins.

Chemicals still legal for sale in U.S.

The big difference between ‘bath salts’ and cocaine and methamphetamine, which are classified as controlled substances by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), is that this latest designer drug – marketed as something not for human consumption — is still legal to be sold in the U.S. The same chemicals in the so-called ‘bath salts’ have also been sold as plant food, pond scum cleaner, and insecticide.

MDPV and mephedrone, according to the DEA, are chemicals of concern, but the agency is currently studying them. The result is that they’re legal at the federal level and in states that haven’t yet specifically prohibited them.

Recovering Addicts & Bath Salts

One of the emerging issues that many drug rehabs have seen is relapse among recovery drug addicts on these easily obtained drugs, as well as Spice or K2.  Until recently it was impossible to test for the presence of these emerging  drugs, but new tests have been developed for some although they can be prohibitively expensive. Those with drug addiction tend to be the most vulnerable to trying the latest drug, particularly if it feeds their denial (I didn’t abuse this before, it’s legally obtained, so it’s ok to try it now). Make no mistake, the use of bath salts or spice or other emerging designer drugs does constitute a relapse, and more and more treatment programs are seeing interest in bath salt rehab programs.

States take action

That’s changing quickly – at least at the state level.

After Louisiana had more than 160 poison control cases – and at least three deaths – linked to the chemicals in ‘bath salts,’ Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal banned the chemical ingredients in the stimulants in an emergency executive order this month. The order will remain in effect for 120 days. In order to become permanent, the state Legislature will need to act.

On Wednesday, Florida became the latest state to enact a ban on MDPV, a ruling that stands for 90 days.

North Dakota instituted a ban in February 2010. The city of Huntington, West Virginia outlawed MDPV and mephedrone last December. Officials in Kentucky, Mississippi and other states are beginning to take similar steps, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Always on the hunt for ways to skirt laws, makers of these designer drugs try to stay one step ahead of laws on the books and enforcement to catch offenders. It’s a frequently noted problem. By the time laws catch up to the producers of such drugs, the perpetrators have switched the formulation and morphed the substance into something new.

The Los Angeles Times article noted that California hasn’t yet seen the critical mass of this problem like Louisiana. The California Poison Control System has only received one call on ‘bath salts.’

Parents urged to safeguard children

Still, this issue isn’t going to fade away anytime soon. People can easily buy these ‘bath salts’ at any age. They are available on the Internet for about $20. Parents should be especially cautious and monitor their children’s spending closely, especially if there have been any reports of ‘bath salts’ usage in the area, if the kids talk about the latest cool and cheap way to get high, or parents notice unusual behavior that could indicate drug use.

Poison control centers across the country are ready to answer questions about ‘bath salts’ or any other product that could pose harm to users. Contact the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222.

Because Ritalin is a stimulant, it is very widely abused. Some of the common effects that this drug produces include:

• A sense of euphoria
• Sharper focus
• Appetite suppression
• Alertness
• Increased attention

Ritalin is used in a wide variety of ways. Some people choose to swallow the pills whole, while others crush them so that they can snort the powder that is produced.

The most common abusers of Ritalin are people under the age of 25, but some older adults abuse it as well. An important fact about this drug is that it is not particularly addictive if it is taken according to prescription. The key here, however, is that it should only be taken by people who actually have a prescription for it. You should never take any drug that belongs to someone else because the risks are simply too great.

If you or someone that you know is abusing Ritalin, you should contact a substance abuse treatment center to seek professional assistance.