Are children who take stimulant medications more likely to abuse
drugs or alcohol later in life? Can't find what you're looking
for? Our health information specialists are here to help.
Contact us at 800-233-4050 or online. Research addressing this
question has provided mixed results. Taken together, the most
conservative interpretation of the literature is that we do not
yet know whether stimulant medication treatment predicts later
use and abuse of substances. However, because there have been
relatively few studies suggesting that stimulant medication
treatment is associated with increased risk for later substance
abuse, most clinicians will give greater weight to the possible
benefits of such medication treatment when it appears to be
warranted. Here's an overview of the major research on this
topic: There are seven widely-cited, well-known, published
studies that have followed children with ADHD into their
adolescent or early adulthood years; and have analyzed substance
use, alcoholism, and/or drug abuse