Rise in use of grade-boosting drugs
Three percent say they use the amphetamine-based 'smart drug' to improve concentration during exam periods, while five percent claim to use it for recreational purposes. Of all interviewed students, 12,5 percent say they intend to use Ritalin for these reasons in the coming year.
The use of nootropics such as ritalin, dexedrine, and modafinil has been increasingly popular with students who use it to boost their grades.
While some believe the use of these brain-boosting drugs should be banned, experts warn that this would be virtually impossible.
Vince Cakic, from the department of psychology at the University of Sydney, writing in the Journal of Medical Ethics, says "If the current situation in competitive sport is anything to go by, any attempt to prohibit the use of nootropics will probably be difficult or inordinately expensive to police effectively." He adds: "The possibility of purchasing 'smartness in a bottle' is likely to have broad appeal to students."
A recent survey in the United States found that as many as a quarter of the students on some campuses have used these study drugs in the past year.
Do you ever use (natural) brain boosters, and if so, which is your favorite? Leave an answer in the comments below!
