To stay focused and awake during all-night study sessions, some students are using Adderall, a prescription drug. However, the drug is not prescribed for students who need to study.

Adderall is a drug prescribed to children to treat Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity (ADHD). Adderall works to improve attention span among ADHD sufferers.

And according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) Web site, Adderall can also be used to treat narcolepsy, because it stimulates activity in the brain, making it easier to stay awake.

Some students, like Joe Bryant (sophomore-engineering), have seen the effects the drug can have firsthand.

"I think that quite a bit of people probably use it. It's a good substitute for coffee, because its affects on the body and mind are similar, however Adderall is more intense and long lasting," he said.

"Also, some people have prescriptions for the drug, thus making it relatively easy to obtain."

Bryant added that besides studying, he knows people who use Adderall to prolong their stamina when partying.

The NLM Web site also warns that Adderall is an addictive drug -- people often become dependent.

The Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) sees students who are on Adderall. Though prescriptions are usually given during elementary and high school years, college-age students and adults can also suffer from ADHD, said Mary Anne Knapp, clinical social worker and therapist at CAPS.

"We are very cautious when giving prescriptions. Adderall can only be prescribed by a physician because it is considered a controlled substance," Knapp said. "Also, we look for other conditions which may be affecting the ability to concentrate, in which Adderall is not appropriate."

According to the NLM Web site, Adderall has many side effects, including nervousness, dizziness, headache and even a false feeling of happiness.

Knapp said in abusers, Adderall would act as more of a stimulant. Over-stimulation can make people highly anxious and lead to trouble sleeping.

She recommended that those who feel they are becoming addicted should talk to the doctor who prescribed the drug. And those to whom it's not prescribed should not use it.

Those who are caught in possession of Adderall without a prescription face possible punishment.

"Most possessions of controlled substances are misdemeanor, punished with up to five years in jail," said Scott Merrill, coordinator of Centre County Drug Task Force. "We don't see many Adderall cases; we do see Ritalin cases on occasion. It's not like there's a huge market like there is for cocaine or marijuana."

Merrill said controlled substances are listed into schedules according to their propensity for abuse and their medical uses. Marijuana and heroin are examples of schedule 1 drugs.

Schedule 2 drugs are dangerous but have accepted medical values; cocaine as well as Adderall fall into this category.

Knapp said there is now a new medication available to treat ADHD that is a non-stimulant, Strattera.

This drug eliminates the potential for abuse, but it is hard to tell whether it is effective.