Availability of brain boosting drugs

[bodie]

Do you think the availability of drugs that enhance cognitive performance should be available for anyone to use, or should they only be used by people with impairments?

The ones i mean are Ritalin, Amphetamines, Donepezil (used to treat dementia)  and Modafinil (used to treat the sleep disorder narcolepsy)

There has been a rise in the number of people seeking these drugs illegally just to enhance cognitive ability,  memory etc. 

Is it an unfair advantage?  or no more unfair than employing a private tutor?

I resent having to get permission to use any drug.  I think i should be able to put whatever i want into my own body. 

I would have a moral dilemma on my hands though if i were sitting an exam knowing that the other students didn't have it!

Also i was reading some tests carried out to pilots.  Donepezil,  was shown to boost the performance of pilots on flight simulators, especially in emergencies.   So, if i were faced with a choice at the airport i know which plane i am getting on!

[skyblue1]

Do you think the availability of drugs that enhance cognitive performance should be available for anyone to use, or should they only be used by people with impairments?

The ones i mean are Ritalin, Amphetamines, Donepezil (used to treat dementia)  and Modafinil (used to treat the sleep disorder narcolepsy)

There has been a rise in the number of people seeking these drugs illegally just to enhance cognitive ability,  memory etc. 

Is it an unfair advantage?  or no more unfair than employing a private tutor?

I resent having to get permission to use any drug.  I think i should be able to put whatever i want into my own body. 

I would have a moral dilemma on my hands though if i were sitting an exam knowing that the other students didn't have it!

Also i was reading some tests carried out to pilots.  Donepezil,  was shown to boost the performance of pilots on flight simulators, especially in emergencies.   So, if i were faced with a choice at the airport i know which plane i am getting on!

As long as it is for personal use. I see no harm in access for an adult

Its your body and brain

[Calavera]

Yeah, haven't given this much thought yet, but my first thought about this is it's no big deal.

["couldbecousin"]

   That's an interesting question.  I wouldn't mind "competing" with co-workers who were
   taking Strattera, whether or not they were diagnosed with ADD.  The good thing about taking
   my medication under medical supervision is that I am monitored for things like liver damage.
   Maybe in the future some of these drugs will be cleared for OTC use, fine by me. 

[Peter]

In the UK, most nootropics are legal to import for personal use, and you can buy them online from offshore pharmacies (like this one); it's just the small number of controlled substances like Ritalin and amphetamines that you need a prescription for, though sadly they're the most effective nootropics.

I don't have any moral issues with it; I don't see much of a difference between someone who drinks coffee and someone who takes amphetamines or modafinil.  There are health concerns, and it might become a small but significant public health issue if taking nootropics became culturally engrained and accepted (beyond the current widespread use and acceptance of caffeine), but the day I oppose people's right to take drugs based on potentially negative health outcomes is the day I oppose the right of people to consent to being anally fisted.

[Icequeen]

I think it's your body, if you want to take it, take it. There will be some that will abuse it, and some won't. It's the nature of the beast. I agree that people should be able to live the life of their choice, not the goverments.

I just have to wonder how much boosting can you do before it goes "boom", and you end up walking around drooling. There's got to be a limit I would think.

[Parts]

I don't feel they should be restricted people should be able to put into their own body what they want to.   I take adderal to help with ADD and I have found it works great for it,  surprisingly it has also helped a lot with my sleep.    As to how much they would help most people I am not sure.  I think a lot of people would over do it thinking more is better which is not the case at least from my perspective 

[odeon]

From what I have heard, Ritalin and the like might not work that well for people without ADD. But what do I know.

[Peter]

I think it's your body, if you want to take it, take it. There will be some that will abuse it, and some won't. It's the nature of the beast. I agree that people should be able to live the life of their choice, not the goverments.

I just have to wonder how much boosting can you do before it goes "boom", and you end up walking around drooling. There's got to be a limit I would think.

Moderation in all things.  It's just like with caffeine; a little bit will (ideally) sharpen and stimulate your mind, but if you overdo it, you'll wind up a jittery mess and eventually pass out once your body has exhausted it's reserves and your blood sugar drops.  Each drug will have it's own unique mode of failure, but it amounts to the same thing in the end.  Same with overclocking a computer or doing whatever it is people do to car engines to make them go faster; it's counter-productive to push things too far, but pushing them a little bit can yield useful results.

[renaeden]

I have seen people dealing Ritalin in the university library and wondered how much of a difference it makes for them if they don't have ADHD. There are also people who take it at rave parties so they can dance for a long time so it must have an effect on energy levels.

Once I took my morning dose of dexamphetamine, forgot I took it and so took it again and the double dose made me feel awful. I felt sick to my stomach and jittery. So I don't think more is better. But I do like the effect of the proper dose and I wonder if everyone else feels that way normally (the way I do on meds), if so, I think they are lucky.

[odeon]

The right dose of Ritalin works--it helps me focus and calm down--while too much of it makes me hyper. I hate that feeling and don't understand why anyone would want it. I'm usually so close to the limit that too much caffeine is enough to ruin the day and I have to start at a lower dosage if I've been off it for a few days.