Adderall and Cannabis are two commonly abused medical substances, particularly on college campuses. Both help the user relax and concentrate. Both are easy to get prescriptions for because it is easy for a patient to convince their prescriber that they need it. Both are addictive substances. They’re pretty much the same thing and can be used to treat pretty much the same things, right?

Wrong.

Despite whatever might be found on Internet forums and blog posts, the two substances are not equivalent. They are not intended to be used for the same conditions, so they shouldn’t be. This is especially true when it comes to specific health issues and disorders, such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). ADHD medications, including Adderall, are often abused because they do exactly what those with ADHD need them to do: calm them down and help them focus.

People have claimed that smoking Cannabis has helped them deal with their ADHD better than using ADHD prescription medications such as Adderall. The results of studies done on this shows some support for their claims, but I don’t buy it. It might help, but Cannabis should not be used as a replacement or supplement to Adderall, not without the approval of a doctor, at the very least.

Like with any prescription medication, there are negative side effects. Using either substance without a prescription, or with a falsely-obtained prescription, can have negative impacts on the user. The common point made by supporters of Cannabis over Adderall is that they have the same positive side effects, but Cannabis has fewer negative side effects than Adderall. This faulty logic assumes that everyone with ADHD should be or is already taking Adderall. Not everyone who has ADHD is prescribed Adderall and not everyone who is prescribed Adderall has ADHD. To say that Cannabis can replace Adderall is not to say that Cannabis can replace all ADHD medications.

There have been accounts of people who switched from Adderall to cannabis, both in and out of the studies done on the subject. They used Adderall to treat their ADD or ADHD, grew tired of the side effects, but were unable to stop using the addictive substance, yet were able to stop with the help of medical marijuana. It can be easier to quit one substance by replacing it with another.

However, marijuana still should not be treated as an alternative to Adderall, let alone any other ADHD medication. It might be helpful in sidestepping some of the symptoms of ADHD, but it should not be used to treat it. As developments are made in the medical field, it might just turn out that Cannabis is okay for treating ADHD. But until then, it shouldn’t be used for that.