Worldwide, more and more students are popping smart drugs to boost their mental performance and excel in their studies.
One of the largest surveys conducted on hundreds of thousands of students has found that more than 14 percent had used smart drugs at least once in 2017.
Facing tremendous pressure to survive and succeed in today’s competitive world, many students are relying on “smart drugs” that can be addictive, dangerous, and illegal. Some students are even using prescription nootropic agents to boost their mental performance and improve their grades in school.
The non-medical use of smart drugs to boost concentration, focus, motivation, memory, or attention is called Pharmacological Cognitive Enhancement (PCE). The survey looked at prescription drugs such as Ritalin and Adderall, which are prescribed to treat ADHD, modafinil and other illicit stimulants.
The study found that the use of smart drug among American students was high in 2017, with more than 30 percent reported using smart drugs for PCE.
The safety concerns of smart drugs usually vary from one chemical to another. Typically, most natural or herbal smart drugs or nootropics are safe with little or no side effects. However, this may vary from one product to another.
On the other hand, synthetic smart drugs or nootropics come with a certain amount of side effects, which could be risky. Some nootropics, such as modafinil, armodafinil, adrafinil, and piracetam, come with side effects. They can be dangerous if used inappropriately. In addition, young students are more vulnerable to addiction.
The frequent use of smart drugs among students could lead to long-term cognitive decline and behavioral issues late in life because their brain is still developing. This may increase the risk of developing drug dependence in their adulthood.
In addition to potential serious side effects and addiction, using smart drugs could lead to dangerous outcomes. For example, students are prone to heart attack, stroke, or liver failure if they overdose with Adderall. Instead of using smart drugs, students should seek help by talking to their parents, teachers, parents, and counselors if they feel overwhelmed or pressured.
