As we near the end of 2022, parts of the US continue to struggle in its essential goods supply chain, leaving a variety of products feeling nearly impossible to obtain. These commodities in short supply range from prescription drugs to common food items and household items. Sonoma State students are beginning to experience the effects of these shortages first-hand.

Drug manufacturers are having problems keeping up with demands. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), some commonly used medications are currently suffering shortages, causing a lot of stress for patients and medical staff.

Some of these medications include Albuterol inhalers to combat respiratory issues like asthma. Others include Amoxicillin and Ozempic. Also, Adderall which is taken to assist people with ADHD is currently in short supply.

A third-year SSU student who requested to stay anonymous shared that Concerta, the brand of ADHD medication they take, is currently facing supply chain shortages. Normally, the student picks up about 180 pills for their prescription and it lasts a few months. However, when recently picking up their prescription they only received 30 pills.

The third-year student said, “The downscale on my prescription has taken a toll on me, especially since it’s come so abruptly. It’s hindered my productivity and it has made it tough to get school work done.”

The student continued, “Since high school when I started picking Adderall up on my own, I had never once received less than 90. So now with finals coming up, I just happen to only have around seven pills left. I had to email my Dr and request more.”

In some cases, unexpectedly stopping a prescribed medication can lead to detrimental health effects. Medical professionals state that a stimulant like adderall can lead patients to experience harsh withdrawals if they stop cold-turkey or in an abrupt manner.

While pharmaceutical supplies appear to be lacking, some grocery store goods are also running low on the shelves. Although this is a common problem around the holidays, grocery store items seem to be exceptionally scarce this year.

Some grocery goods that have been identified in low supply are eggs, butter, avocados and more. Alot of product shortages are a result of shifting economies, specifically changes in countries import and export measures.

SSU student Emma Liao said, “Just here in town at the Safeway, there were a few things I couldn’t find. Also if items weren’t completely out, they were very low. It’s strange because we always just expect common items to be available and all of a sudden they can be inaccessible due to bigger problems in our world.” Liao also elaborated that if low supply goods were available, they seemed a little more expensive than before.

Economics professor Florence Bouvet spoke with the STAR via email and provided some possible explanations for the continued supply shortages. “The drought has caused low water levels on the Mississippi River which is a key component in the transportation of some essential raw materials such as crude oil and fertilizers. If Midwest farmers have to pay more for getting fertilizers, this could lead to lower yields in agriculture and higher prices for food.”

It’s no secret that the pandemic took a strong hold on our economy back in 2020 and 2021. Professor Bouvet discussed the economy following the pandemic, “I believe the pandemic and the supply chain challenges we faced then have been eye opening for US companies and the government who have started to take measures to make the system more resilient and less dependent on a few actors such as China.

Bouvet continued, “While we cannot expect all these to be resolved overnight, I don’t believe they will persist with the same intensity as what we experienced in 2020-21.”