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GabrielMeldeFontenay
ProfessorSteveBucher
Writing340
Feb3,2015
Limitless:TheBenefitsofRespondingResponsiblytoCognitiveEnhancers
Strategiesforimprovingmentalandphysicalperformancearenothingnewforthousandsof
years,peoplehavepracticedorgonetoschool,theyvegottenagoodnightsrest,stayedhydrated,or
kissedluckycharms.Whatisnew,however,thankstoemergingpharmacologicaltechnologies,isthe
relativeease,safetyandreliabilitywithwhichwecanenhancecognitiveperformancethroughdrugs
[1].Althoughthefieldofneuroscienceisfarfromsideeffectfreesmartpills,cognitivedopingis,in
severalarenas,alreadyareality.Collegecampusesprovideagoodexample,whereADHDprescribed
stimulantabuseaimedatincreasingfocusandmemory[2],virtuallyunknowntwentyyearsago,has
reachedaanestimatedprevalenceofbetween830%amongstudents,accordingtovariousestimates
[3,4].
Performanceboostingabusepresentsseveralproblems.Inparticular,ifADHDmedications
reallydoimprovecognitiveperformance,thenstudentswhousetheminpreparationfororduringtests
haveanunaccountedforandpossiblyunfairadvantage.Tomakemattersworse,wecanexpectever
morepowerfulenhancers,andwiththemanevermorepressingethicalissue,thankstotherapidpace
ofneuroscienceresearchandthesteadystreamofnewFDAapproveddrugsaboutthreepermonth
[5].Anotherconcernsurroundingprescriptionstimulantabuseiswhethercollegestudentsorabusers
ingeneralaresufficientlyawareoftheknownrisksofstimulantuse,whichcanhaveharmfuleffects
evenwhenadministeredproperly.Withdrugsingeneral,adversesideeffectsarealwaysaconcern
however,inthecaseofenhancers,thisconcernismultipliedduetothemediumtolongtermabuse
practicedbymanycollegestudents,andalsotothecompetitivepressureonnonuserstobeginusing.

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AlthoughIllarguethatcognitiveboostinganditseffectoncollegecompetitionarenotunethical,Ido
believe,forthepracticalaimsofpreservingnaturalcompetitionandprotectingagainstneedlesshealth
risks,thatweasneuroscientistsanddrugresearchershavearesponsibilitytopressureuniversitiesto
adoptantidopingpolicies,andtoadequatelytestandcommunicatethedangersofprescription
stimulantuse.
Inanyethicaldiscussionofperformanceenhancingdrugs,oneofthefundamentalunderlying
issuesiswhetherdruguseingeneraliswrong.Itismybeliefthat,thoughillicitdruguseis
associated
withmanyunsavorybehaviorsnegligence,violence,furthercrimeitisnotitselfunethical.Given
thatdrugs,inthebroadestsense,aresimplyexternalsubstanceswhichalterbodilyormentalfunction,
claimingdruguseisinherentlywrongistoobroad,andpresentsseveralproblems.Foronething,
drugsareuseddailybymillionsofpeopletotreatandcuredisease.Certainlythispracticeofaltering
bodilyfunctionthroughexternalsubstancesqualifiesasanethicalformofdruguse.Adifficultythat
arises,then,whentryingtodefineunethicalformsofdruguse,isthelackofacleardistinctionbetween
truediseaseandordinary,acceptablediscomfort.Anotherproblemistheseemingarbitrarinessof
condemningdrugmediatedchangesbutnotothersgiventhefactthatmanyhumaninfluencesare
unnecessaryforsurvival,havethepossibilityofbeingnegative,andinvolvefactorsoutsidethe
individual,ethicalcriticsofdrugusewhosimultaneouslysupporteducation,travel,friendships,orfine
dininglosecredibility.Andfinally,thoughtherearemanyobviousattacksonthepositionthatdruguse
isinherentlywrong,perhapsthemostimportantflawisthelackofasatisfyingdefense:todate,every
attemptIveseentorationalizethispositioneitherinvokesareligiousdictate,oranequally
unjustifiabledeepdownaversiontotheideaofdruguse.WhileIverymuchsympathizewiththe
religiousandthedrugaverse,Itakemyownaversionasasignthat
I
shouldntusedrugs,notthatuse
isafundamentalwrong.

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Amorecompellingethicalproblemwithcognitiveboostingoncollegecampusesisviolationof
trustbydopingbeforeorduringtests,studentsmaymisrepresenttheirtalentsorpreparationto
instructorsandpeers.However,evenso,Ibelievecognitivedopingcannotbecalledunethicalunlessit
isinviolationofanagreeduponcodeofconduct.Ofcourse,thereasonsforprohibiting
performanceenhancingdrugsaremanyand,Ibelieve,wise:universitiesmaybeinterestedin
discouragingdrugdependence,rewardinghardwork,andaccuratelygaugingeachstudentssober
abilities.But,untiluniversitiesspecificallyprohibitdruguse,mypositionisthatunprohibited
advantagesincludingboostingareacceptableadvantages.
Thismayseemextreme,butitsimportanttokeepinmindisthatevenexcludingdrugs,
naturalstudymethodsandopportunitiesareunequallydistributedandvarydramaticallyinquality.
Lookingmoreclosely,therealissuehereisnotinthedetailsofstudyingversusboosting,butratherin
theambiguityasitisarelativelynewpractice,mostuniversitieslackaclearstanceoncognitive
boosting.Consequently,userswhoclaimtofeelasthoughtheyrebehavingethicallyandinaccordance
withtheruleshaveplausibledeniability.Ratherthancondemningtesttakingusersasunethical,amore
productive,moreprudent,andIbelievemorepromisingstrategywouldbeforuniversitiestoendthe
ambiguityandenactclearpolicyoninmyopinion,againstenhancers.
Alastconcernraisedagainstcognitivedopingisthatdopingbysomewilleffectivelyforceall
studentsataninstitutiontoparticipateinordertokeeppacewiththecompetition[6].Thisisactually
twoissueswrappedintoone.Thefirst,whichisquitegeneral,isthatcompetitorsareoftenforcedtodo
thingstheydprefernottoinordertocompete.Thesecondisthatinthiscase,theforcedactiondrug
useisonethataltersthecompetitoratadeeplypersonallevel.Ibelievethatneitherareactually
ethicalissues,butthatthesecondpointwarrantsaction.
Examiningthefirstworrymoreclosely,itbecomesclearthatliterallyeveryformofstudyor
practicecreatescompetitivecoercion:ifonestudentstudies,thenotherswillbeforcedtostudyinorder

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tokeepup.This,ofcourse,doesntmeanthatallowingstudyingoncollegecampusescreatesanethical
issue.Ibringupthisrathertrivialexamplebecausecriticsofcognitiveboostingoftenforgetthat
competitivecoercionisaninherentand,Ibelieve,usuallyhealthyaspectofcompetition.Ittherefore
shouldnotbeframedasoneofcognitiveboostingsuniqueevils.
Thesecondissue,whichismoreworrying,isinthepriceuniversitystudentswillpaydueto
newcompetitivestrategies.Inthecaseofstudying,ithasalwaysbeentimeandeffort.Ontheother
hand,forcognitivedoping,thepriceisbasicbodilyautonomyandpossiblyoneshealth.Ifindthis
problematic,notonethicalgrounds,butratheronpracticalandaestheticgrounds.Theethicalquestion
isalmostimpossibletoanswersincehealthandhappinessriskstocompetitorsarenotbinary,butfall
onacontinuum(studyingtakesawaytimefromexerciseandhedonisticpleasures),andanyethical
thresholdonthiscontinuumwouldbesomewhatarbitrary.However,whatsverynonarbitraryat
leasttomeisthat
I
wouldntwanttoparticipateinaninstitutionwhich,thankstoacombination
drugtoleratingpolicyandcompetition,forcesmetouseenhancersinordertoprogress.Itsalso
relativelyclear,duetothepossibilityoflargenumbersofstudentsbecomingdrugdependent,the
longtermhealthhazardsposedbynonmedicaluse,andtheinevitablemisappropriationofjobs,
opportunitiesandhonors,thatsuchascenarioisworsefortheuniversityandsocietyasawhole.Once
again,Ithinkthebestapproachistoceaseallethicalattacksoncognitiveboostingandinsteadpressure
universitiestoadoptclearpoliciesagainstit.Thiswouldredirectfocusfromthemessypossibly
unsolvableethicaldetailstowhatistrulyimportant:protectingbodilyhealthandautonomy,
producinggenuinelyskilledprofessionals,andpromotingaspiritofrespectfornaturalhumanfunction.
Althoughthesuggestiontopressureuniversitiestoadoptantidrugpoliciescouldbetargetedat
thewholecommunity,researchersspecificallyplayanadditionalroleinminimizingdopingrelated
ethicalconflicts,sincetheyarechargedwithclinicallyexploringtheeffectsofdruguseand,as
inventorsanddiscoverers,theyoftenhaveinitialcontrolovernewsubstances.However,itmaynotbe

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clearhowtoreact,astheSocietyforNeurosciencescodeofethicsissilentonneurodrugissues[7].
Giventheiruniqueroleinthesituation,researchersshoulddirectfocustowardtwokeyareas:enhanced
safetyresearchandcommunityeducation.
Thefirstkey,safetyresearch,isespeciallyimportantinthecaseofADHDprescribedcognitive
enhancersforseveralreasons.First,ADHDstimulantuse,bothlegalandillegal,oftenbeginsbefore
fullmentalmaturationinhighschoolandcollegeandoftencontinuesoveranextendedperiodof
time[2].Consideringthefactthatfewotherdrugsareadministeredasearlyandoveraslongaperiod
oftime,andforadiseasewithsuchambiguousdiagnosis[8],safetyresearchshouldfocusheavilyon
thedrugseffectondevelopingmindsanditslongtermimpactonbodilyandmentalfunction.Another
concernisthatusewill,realisticallyspeaking,oftenbenonmedicalthatis,withoutorinconsistent
withadoctorsinstructions.Forthesecases,itscriticaltounderstandthedangersofacuteoverdose,
andtoresearchandoutlineemergencyoverdoseprocedures.Afinaldanger,totallyuniqueto
enhancers,isthatthereis,onuniversitycampuses,acompetitivedrivetotakethedrugthis
nonmedicalpressurewill,formanystudents,shiftthecalculatedbalanceawayfromhealthy,safe
behaviorinfavorofshorttermacademicsuccess.Inordertocounterbalancethecompetitivepressure
touse,researchersshouldadoptahigherthresholdforwhatisconsideredsafeandforwhich
sideeffectscanbetolerated.Admittedly,anattitudeofextremecautionasoutlinedabovewillpresent
costsforneuroscientistsandengineersintheformoftargeted,longer,andmorecomprehensivedrug
tests,butthesecostsfaroutweightheethicalsacrificesandcoststosocietyassociatedwithincomplete
orinconclusivestudies,orwithproducingalluring,unsafedrugs.
Thesecond,andpossiblymoreimportant,keyethicalresponsibilityofresearchersistoensure
adequatecommunityawarenessofthedangersassociatedwithcognitiveenhancers.Granted,pushing
communityawarenessseemsobvious,butitdeservesspecificmentionbecausecurrenteducational
effortshavenotbeensufficientthegeneralpubliclacksresearchsupportedinformationoncognitive

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doping.Thisisespeciallytrueforcollegestudents,who,inmyexperience,overwhelminglybelieve
thatADHDstimulantscanbeselfmedicatedwithoutconsequences.
Contributingtothisattitudeareseveralfactors:Mostobviously,thesemedicationsareoften
usedproperly,andwithoutvisiblesideeffects,bytrueADHDsufferersformany,thelackofapparent
harmisseenasevidencethatthemedicationsarentdangerous.Inadditiontothis(unscientific)
positivevoteforADHDdrugs,thereisapsychologicalbiasagainstnegativeinformation:students
wantwhatthesestimulantsofferimprovedfocusandmemoryandsoaremorewillingtobelieve
claimsthattheyareharmless,andignoreinformationwhichsuggeststhattheyarent.Finally,thereis
anemergingindustryoflegalsmartdrugswhichpromisemanyofthecognitivebooststhatADHD
medicationsoffer[9].Increasingly,thesesmartdrugcompanies,andtheproductstheyoffer,are
enteringintocollegecultureinanextremelydisturbingway.JustyesterdaywhilecheckingFacebook,I
sawapostentitled9ReasonsCollegeStudentsAreUsingLegalSmartDrugstoCrushIt.Keepin
mind,thistitleformat9Reasonsisusuallyusedforpagescontaininginformallistsputtogetherby
individualusers,andthearticlewasinasectiononFacebookreservedforpostsfromfriendsor
trendingmaterial,notadvertisements.Afterreadingthearticle,Iwasshockedeightofthenine
reasonsmentionedthesameproduct,Neurofuse,completewithahyperlinktoapurchasingpage.
Undoubtedly,theuncited,pseudoscientificclaimsonthispage,togetherwithitsthindisguiseasan
individualenthusiastsarticle,arecontributingtothepopularsentimentthatcognitiveenhancementis
perfectlysafe.
Duetothecombinationofvisiblesafeuse,abuiltinincentivetoerronthesideofuse,rather
thanresponsibility,andthealarmingmisinformationpeddledontheinternet,itisofcriticalimportance
thataccurate,impartialinformationbedistributedtocollegestudentsandpotentialusersingeneral.
Thisis,inlargepart,theresponsibilityofresearchers,andmightinclude:refusingtolicensenewly
discovereddrugswithoutacomprehensiveeducationplanandclear,honestlabellingpublishingsafety

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findingsnotonlyintechnicalmedia,butalsoinpopularmediaanddirectlyinforminguniversity
leadersandpolicymakersofADHDstimulantsafetyhazards.
Inthemeantimewhileuniversities,communitymembers,andresearchersaredecidinghowto
react,cognitiveboostingisincreasinglybecominganissueoncollegecampuses,thankstoeffective,
easytoobtainADHDmedicationsandthepopularsentimentthatthesemedicationsareharmless.
ThoughIhavenoethicalissuewithcognitiveboosting,itismybeliefthatclearpolicyprohibitingit
wouldbestservetheuniversitysinterestsbyencouragingproven,organicstudymethodsandby
protectingthosewhochoosenottouse.Inordertofurtherdefendagainstpossibleethicaland
healthrelatedissues,itisimperativethatextensivesafetyresearchbeperformedonnewandexisting
stimulants,andthatthisresearchbepublishedinawaythatisaccessibletothegeneralpublic.Ifwe
adoptthecorrectstrategyfordealingwithenhancingdrugsnow,thenwewillbewellprotectedfrom
futurepotentialattacksonhealthandautonomy,andwellpreparedtodefendtheexquisitelycomplex,
amazinglycapable,andbeautifullyflawednaturalhumanmind.

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WorksCited

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Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22308929.[Accessed:08Feb2015].
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StimulantsAmongCollegeStudents:Prevalence,Motives,andRoutesof
Administration',
Pharmacotherapy
,vol.26,no.10,pp.15011510,2006.
[4]A.DeSantis,E.WebbandS.Noar,'IllicitUseofPrescriptionADHDMedicationsonaCollege
Campus:AMultimethodologicalApproach',
JournalofAmericanCollegeHealth
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pp.315324,2008.
[5]Raps.org,'HowManyDrugshasFDAApprovedinitsEntireHistory?NewPaperExplains|
RAPS',2015.[Online].Available:
http://www.raps.org/RegulatoryFocus/News/2014/10/03/20488/HowManyDrugshasFDAApp
rovedinitsEntireHistoryNewPaperExplains/.[Accessed:08Feb2015].
[6]Nytimes.com,'InTheirOwnWords:StudyDrugs',2015.[Online].Available:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/06/10/education/stimulantsstudentvoices.html.
[Accessed:08Feb2015].
[7]Sfn.org,'SocietyforNeuroscience',2015.[Online].Available:
http://www.sfn.org/membercenter/professionalconduct/sfnethicspolicy.[Accessed:08Feb
2015].
[8]R.COHEN,'TheCompetitionDrug',
Nytimes.com
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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/05/opinion/global/rogercohenadderalltheacademiccompetiti
ondrug.html.[Accessed:08Feb2015].

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[9]'9ReasonsCollegeStudentsAreUsingLegalSmartDrugsToCrushIt',2015.[Online].Available:
http://mindmatters1.tumblr.com/post/101187370943/9reasonscollegestudentsareusinglegals
mart.[Accessed:08Feb2015].