Scientists back brain drugs for healthy people

Beware. Doctors used to help advertise cigarrettes too. Things will pop up at some point stating effects like going cross-eyed or growing hair on the end of your nose or something else that hasn't come out yet. What is wrong with being naturally smart or being at your own level? The people advocating this are on the same side of athletes using anabolic steroids. Mental competitors as well as Physical ones should be tested to see if they have been using enhancement drugs. Play fair people. If water seeks it's own level so should humans. A chemical education is dependant upon something introduced into your body for purposes of enhancement. Why not just study? I would not advise anything like this for any student, faculty staff person, or even "Joe the Plumber Types."

I agree, weewilly. The pressure to compete in a university is great enough. I couldn't imagine having to compete against those who are taking drugs to make them smarter when I wouldn't be comfortable taking these drugs, myself. I think it'd be pretty unfair. It would come down to "take these drugs or lag behind your classmates." What would be even worse is if professors starting teaching at a rate that would require these drugs if they went mainstream.

Also, what would happen to the students on scholarships who can't afford to buy drugs they don't need?

All this just seems like a bad idea. Just because some scientists did these drugs in college and are fine now doesn't mean this is the right thing to do. Shame on these scientists. This is a terrible abuse of their scientific authority to push this on others.

deprenyl

It strikes me simply more another situation where busybodies can intrude into areas of personal sovereignty where no body has asked for their opinion. However I would like to point out that technology is advancing to the point where discussion of this boundary, or perhaps these boundaries, is becoming more urgent. Full disclosure and discussion of the risks and benefits sans any spin is necessary but the intrusion of Law into personal decisions has already gone further than can be realistically enforced- witness the link between accelerating demonization and profitability of the illicit recreational drug trade. An increasingly militant ideological refusal to accept this a health problem is leading to increasing flows of criminal money and influence into the wider global financial system and thereby endangering much more than the unsustainable "ethical purity" of our youth. And as I suggested- advancing surveillance technology is making this a critical subject for political discourse.

Some days I can't think my way out of a box. Other days, I seem to understand and solve problems at work with crystal clarity. Personally, I would love to be able to have more of those latter days. Simply studying more doesn't do it. If you aren't thinking as clearly, your studying is less effective.

So, if there was a safe and effective way of boosting my awareness, I'd love it! I don't believe in the, "Stick with the hand you were dealt with" philosophy.

The only time an absence of symptoms signifies health, is in the absence of medications!