James Franco Talks Adderall At 2015 Tribeca Film Festival: What He Said About The ADHD Drug

James Franco often portrays characters who love marijuana and other drugs, but that doesn’t mean he has a lot of personal experience with illicit substances. When the star showed up to the world premiere of “The Adderall Diaries” at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City Thursday, he explained that he didn’t know enough about the drug to comment on whether they were overprescribed in America. In fact, he’s never even tried it. “I’ve never taken them,” he said.

Adderall is prescribed to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But in recent years, the amount of people given the drug has tripled, the Business Insider wrote. The majority of people who take it do not consider it to be a “serious drug” and instead use it as “a study tool.” The stimulant can be addictive and has dangerous side effects like heart attacks and even sudden deaths.

“The Adderall Diaries," based on Stephen Elliott’s best-selling novel, is about a man who suffers from writers block and strained relationships. To deal with his lack of inspiration, he becomes obsessed with a high-profile murder case while simultaneously suffering from an escalating drug problem.

The movie has two main themes: One is how an artist looks at himself through his work, and the other deals with memory “and how we shape our visions ourselves,” Franco, 36, explained. “ It’s about the stories we tell ourselves about our own lives and how that shapes who we are.”

Eventually, both themes coincide. “As he’s trying to write, he’s also trying to figure out his life and both things become some of the same,” the actor said.

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