ADHD Medication Surges Among Teens... Concerns Over Abuse of "Study Drugs"
by Song Bohyeon
Published 14 Sep.2025 12:40(KST)
Updated 14 Sep.2025 18:36(KST)
Over 3.35 Million ADHD Prescriptions for Youth Under 19 in Three Years
More Than Half of Reported Side Effects Occurred Among Adolescents
Heavy Use Concentrated in the Seoul Metropolitan Area
Calls for Stronger Oversight and Management
Medications for ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), often referred to as "study drugs" and increasingly in demand among teenagers, have been prescribed more than 3 million times to individuals under the age of 19 over the past three years. During the same period, more than half of all reported side effect cases were among adolescents, raising concerns that indiscriminate use in pursuit of enhanced concentration is becoming a serious social risk.
According to data released on September 14 by Seo Mihwa, a proportional representative of the Democratic Party of Korea and a member of the National Assembly Health and Welfare Committee, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service reported that from 2022 to last year, ADHD medications were prescribed 3,359,226 times to those aged 19 and under.
Last year alone, 1,367,730 prescriptions were issued, marking a 21.9% increase from the previous year (1,122,298 prescriptions). By region, nearly half of all prescriptions were concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area: Gyeonggi Province (350,265 cases), Seoul (338,746 cases), and Incheon (61,563 cases). This was followed by Busan (164,980 cases), Daegu (86,737 cases), Gwangju (52,296 cases), Gyeongnam (44,966 cases), and Daejeon (43,625 cases).
During the same period, 278 cases of side effects were reported. Of the 83 cases where age was confirmed, 47 cases (56.6%) occurred in patients under the age of 19. The main side effects included decreased appetite (49 cases), insomnia (30 cases), vomiting or nausea (21 cases), palpitations (12 cases), tics or hypersensitivity (7 cases each), and headaches or dizziness (5 cases each).
Seo Mihwa stated, "As the concentration-enhancing effects of ADHD medications become more widely known, demand is increasing even among the general teenage population," emphasizing, "It is necessary to strengthen the drug management system to ensure safe prescriptions."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.