Smart drugs

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Introduction

Drugs, whether prescribed or illegal have been a vital part in the lives of many people. As many people would acknowledge, stimulants have been the most widely used and abused in the history of medicine. One type of drugs that has generated a lot of controversy in the recent times is the so-called smart drugs. These drugs are said to increase the concentration and alertness in an individual and lowers fatigue.

An article appearing in The Economist on smart drugs seems to insinuate that it is high time that the free use of these drugs is encouraged. The writer takes issue with the fact that many individuals opine that unapproved use of drugs is immoral and dangerous. In essence, the writer states that such thoughts lead to prohibition of the drugs, which is wrong and futile. The futility of the action lies in the fact that smart drugs are easily accessible more so through the internet, he states. While this may be true, it is necessary to acknowledge that one of the reasons behind the high rates of drug abuse is the ease of availability (Simon 2005). In fact, many people get addicted to prescription drugs thanks to their availability. Many are times when people just pop drugs into their mouths when suffering from a headache, insomnia and other minor ailments only for them to end up hooked in the drugs (Ward et al 1993).

The writer also argues that the prohibition in the use of these drugs is wrong since the drugs are immensely useful. Falling under the category of nootropics (a Greek word that means “act upon the mind”) smart drugs are said to improve memory consolidation, learning as well as memory retrieval devoid of other effects on central nervous system, not to mention the low toxicity even when high doses are taken. While these effects are evidently desirable, it is crucial that the writer examines the flip side of the so-called smart drugs. Being stimulants, their effects are the same as those of methamphetamine and cocaine (Ward et al 1993). Continued consumption of the smart drugs would allow for the development of physical as well as chemical tolerance in an individual (Simon 2005). In essence, this would mean that the initial doses would be insufficient in bringing about the stimulating effects, in which case an individual would have to take more either by increasing the frequency or the dose in order to have the desired effects (Simon 2005). This would mark the beginning of addiction. Addiction involves loss of one’s capability to control their consumption of drugs. Irrespective of the presumed benefits of the drugs, the possibility of addiction outweighs the advantages (Simon 2005).

The writer also opines that punishing off-label use of the smart drugs would be unfair especially to individuals to whom these drugs are medically useful in ways that are unexpected. The writer draws from the studies which have shown variations in working memory levels in people result from their genetic variations. In essence, people who use smart drugs are likely to have had a genuine but unknown need for these drugs. While this may be the case, it is vital to acknowledge that the side effects of these drugs have not been accurately studied and therefore, they may be harmful to the general health of the individual (Simon 2005). In essence, it has always been acknowledged that any drug that adheres to the functioning of an individual’s brain would be likely to have adverse effects on their mental capacity, which may actually be the case with the smart drugs (Simon 2005). Other drugs like methamphetamine (meth) and cocaine are also known to increase the mental acuity of an individual, but when taken for prolonged periods of time, they would impair the reasoning capacity of an individual (Simon 2005). Since conclusive studies have not been done on the effects of these drugs, it would be foolhardy to allow their uncontrolled use as the writer suggests.

Conclusion

While there are obvious benefits derived from the smart drugs, their side effects have not been conclusively studied. Given the fact that they have a high addictive potential to be addictive and even to impair the reasoning capacity of an individual, it is vital that their use be prohibited till found safe for use (Simon 2005).

References

Ward Dean, John Morgenthaler, Steven Wm Fowkes, 1993. “Smart drugs II: the next generation: new drugs and nutrients to improve your memory and increase your intelligence” New York: Health Freedom Publications

Simon Wills, 2005. “Drugs of abuse” New York: pharmaceutical press

(Simon 2005)

(Ward et al 1993)