Med Page Today issued a report focusing on this new research from the University of Cincinnati in Ohio. According to Jennifer Setlik, MD, calls to poison centers regarding the use of ADHD drugs jumped 76 percent between 1998 and 2005.

“The sharp increase, out of proportion to other poison center calls and general poison center use, suggests a rising problem with abuse, teen abuse, and particularly teen ADHD stimulant medication abuse," the researchers said in Med Page Today. "It may be that abuse is rising, or it may be that increased calls are a result of the escalating severity, perhaps reflecting the shift toward amphetamine use."

Part of the increase is blamed on the belief that these drugs are safe to use for anything and at any time because they are prescribed by a physician. Teens will often use these medications to relieve pain and anxiety, to aid sleep and to help them concentrate.

According to researchers, amphetamine exposure rates rose faster than amphetamine sales. Within the ADHD category, amphetamine/dextroamphetamine-related calls experienced a 476 percent increase over the study period. By comparison, prescriptions jumped 133 percent for persons age 13 to 19 years old.

Of those teens that made the calls to the poison centers, 42 percent experienced moderate or major effects. Some eventually experienced death. Researchers did highlight that previous studies had shown prescribing stimulants for ADHD did not lead to drug abuse or addiction. This study suggests other research ignored important variables and that this is a major problem that must be addressed immediately.

"Calls related to teenaged victims of prescription ADHD medication abuse rose 76%, which is faster than calls for victims of substance abuse generally and teen substance abuse," writes researcher Jennifer Setlik, MD, of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and colleagues.

ADHD affects between 8% and 12% of children and 4% of adults worldwide, and there has been a significant increase in the sale of stimulant drugs designed to treat the condition in recent years.

Overall, researchers say the sharp rise in ADHD drug abuse mirrored a similar increase in the prescription numbers among teens, but the abuse of certain types of ADHD drugs is outpacing sales.

Dr. Alanna Levine, a pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy Of Pediatrics, stopped by CBS’s The Early Show to discuss this alarming trend. "I think we’re seeing more and more use of ADHD drugs in general because there’s more awareness," she said. "But the more we prescribe the medication, the more it is out there in the community, and the more there is a risk for abuse."

When teens not affected by ADHD take drugs such as Ritalin or Adderall, they experience a performance enhancing high and are able to study longer or stay up later. Some teens are using the drugs for their appetite suppressant qualities to lose weight.

Levine explained that many kids get the medication from their friends, and urged parents to be on the lookout. The drugs can be dangerous if you don’t need them, according to Levine, who explained that kids are typically screened for heart disease and get an EKG before getting the prescription.