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Cognitive-enhancing Drugs Cognitive enhancing drugs, as the implies, are drugs or supplements that improve the mental functions, such as memory,understanding, concentration and a lot more. It is also called by other names, such as smart drugs or memory enhancers. These have been widely used in the medical field to help ease some medical conditions, such as treating ADHD and other neurological conditions, as it is scientifically proven to improve the brain’s oxygen supply that stimulates nerve growth.

However, today, these drugs are not only used to treat people with cognitive difficulties but at the same time many researchers are now recommending a more widespread use of these cognitive enhancing drugs to help people concentrate more, be awake longer hours and a lot more. However, with an increasing access to these drugs, there is a lot of arising issues that come up, such as the efficacy of this activity and the proven benefits that it can give rather than the problems it can cause. One of the main concerns with the use of these pharmaceutical drugs is the adverse effects it can wrought a person.

All we know today is that cognitive enhancing drugs can really give immediate mental which can be attested by the many people who have already tried taking these drugs and have felt and experienced a significant wakefulness, energy, stamina, and memory. In certain surveys, a lot of people take these drugs before testing, while they are doing a paper, or perhaps during long hours of no sleep and they liked the fact that these drugs have delivered in the aspect of urgency by allowing them to think quickly and have an active body.

However, speaking of the long term effects of which, little data is available. This is the problem that we have to deal with when it comes to bringing the use of cognitive enhancing drugs to the mainstream. Also, another thing to consider would be the fact that these people who can attest to the effectiveness of the drug cannot truly confirm that they actually got great results in the long run, such as the quality of a paper/dissertation, a result to a test, or, perhaps, a grade for a recitation they used the drug for.

Thus, though quantity could be the strength of cognitive enhancing drugs as you can do more at a certain period of time, quality is not something they could guarantee. We all know that it is human nature to want to push against our limitations, but what about the risks? This is that one question we need to ask ourselves regarding the use of cognitive-enhancing drugs. Take Ritalin as an example. It is riddled with side effects such as heart problems; constant use of these drugs outside medication could definitely lead to more health complications.

Also, the bigger problem is the probability of a drug dependent society. With the accessibility of these drugs, people would tend to take it just like a normal part of a routine. Thus, because there is such a thing that would allow people to be awake longer hours, perhaps, getting enough sleep would slowly be out of the picture, thus, diminishing the more natural and healthy way of doing things. Also, wouldn’t the intake of these drugs win a certain kind of sport or a marathon and be a kind of cheating?

If these drugs really do make you smarter and if people embrace their total use, how would we be able to give credit to genes, to hard work, perseverance, or simply paying attention to class? Also, how would these pills be priced then?Indeed, the use of cognitive enhancing drugs should be regulated. This is because of the fact that humans were never meant to be dependent on specific drugs that would make them better; instead, the desire to be better in the human world is something that naturally has to be worked hard for, making the prize more worth it.

References ListHarris, J., Kessler, R.C., Gazzaniga, M., Campbell, P., & Farah, M.J. (2008). Towards Responsible Use of Cognitive-Enhancing Drugs by the Healthy. Nature Vol. 456 11 December 2008 Commentary 702-05.DeSantis, A.D., Webb, E.M., & Noar, S.M. Illicit Use of Prescription ADHD Medications on a College Campus: A Multimethodological Approach. Journal of American College Health 57.3.