Is it possible to get false positives for illegal drugs if the kids are on a prescription for similar legal ones?
When you do a drug test, you have to declare any legal medications that you are taking. In the case of highly controlled substances (Class 3? I don't remember), you have to prove it, normally by bringing a current prescription bottle. If you come up as positive for something, they disregard as long as you are supposed to be on it. Otherwise you fail.
In short, if they were prescribed something, it wouldn't be a false positive, but an excused positive. The article mentions nothing about them being legally on anything (or even ADHD), though. That was purely speculation on Ironbite's part.
From what I understand, Ritalin, Adderall, etc. are in the same family as meth, but are slightly different in chemistry and therefore aren't as severe in their effects. This doesn't mean you should pop pills like candy though or inject it into your kid.
Only in so much as they are amphetamines. Adderall is, iirc, something like 97% pure speed with a couple of other things tossed in. Which is why it's extremely tightly controlled by doctors and the DEA. I'm currently on a scrip for 30mg daily. The prescription cannot be transmitted to the pharmacy electronically nor can it be called in. Either my wife or I have to personally drop it off and they check ID. My wife can only do it because I put her on file at the pharmacy that we normally use, if we switch we have to go through that process again. There are also no refills on the prescription, I have to pick them up from the doc's office periodically. Since we just changed the dose a month ago, I may actually have to go for an appointment to get it. As long as the dose seems to be right for now, she may give me 3 separate prescriptions specifically marked with fill dates so that I don't have to call them for awhile.
As for effects, it's not the same as street speed. There is only a "high" for the first day or two after a dose change. When I take it first thing in the morning, I get a bit antsy for about 20 minutes and then it smooths out (referred to as the bump). I usually work out during this period. After that, it stimulates my body to make the correct chemicals to allow me to focus on tasks throughout the day.
From what I've read, there is actually a medication that is really meth. It's more pure than the stuff people make in their garages, and thus doesn't have a lot of the nasty side effects of street meth, but it's still technically meth.
From Wikipedia: Although rarely prescribed,[6] methamphetamine hydrochloride is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and obesity under the trade name Desoxyn.
Another fun fact I learned when I read the wiki page for meth is that North Korea apparently has a meth problem that puts Oklahoma to shame. For anyone who lives in Oklahoma, that really means something.
As I understand it, Desoxyn is only used in extreme cases (morbidly obese and severely ADHD to the point of non-functioning), and only for a relatively short time. Once the patient has their weight under control, they are then weaned from this version and onto one of the more traditional ADHD medications.
