Neuroenhancement, or academic doping, is a common practice on college campuses across the country. Drugs such as Adderall, Ritalin and Vyvanse are readily available to those with the right connections. Recently, nootropics, or “smart drugs," have arrived on the market as legal substitutes for these cognitive-enhancing drugs. Nootropics are said to be effective by increasing blood flow, oxygen uptake and glucose metabolism within the brain, impacting mental energy levels as the brain is better supplied with nutrients that promote wakefulness and alertness. Additionally, accelerated blood circulation improves mental stamina through an increased ability to concentrate.

Although there is not yet enough research to back up the fact that these smart drugs actually do improve cognitive ability, nootropics are said to improve memory, learning capacity, motivation, attention and focus. Despite their legality, a debate has risen as to whether or not their use is ethical. If, in fact, nootropics actually do produce the same effects as taking unprescribed Adderall, smart drugs prove to be a better substitution for buying Adderall from the kid who lives across the hall. Since nootropics are legal and available to the public, the argument that the use of these drugs creates an unfair advantage in academics is invalid. As opposed to what critics of nootropics may argue, smart drugs are actually creating an equal playing field throughout college campuses, because all students are capable of purchasing them if they choose.

Drugs like Adderall, on the other hand, are intended to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Taking these drugs without a prescription can create an unfair advantage in academia. For those without a prescription at their disposal, gaining access to cognitive-enhancing drugs may prove to be difficult. While my view is entirely objective, the case of unethicality that can be argued when it comes enhancing cognitive ability is that some students have managed to obtain these prescriptions when they do not actually suffer from ADHD or narcolepsy.

Let's face it, a significant number of students that do have prescriptions for Adderall or Ritalin would readily admit that they do not actually need it. Students end up selling half the bottle of pills and keeping the other half for their own personal use, proving that the intended daily dosage is not necessary for them to perform well academically on a daily basis. In fact, these pills, which have been unnecessarily prescribed to or obtained by many students, tend to only become essential to many students' academic performance the night before that 10-page paper (that has yet to be started) is due.

If you are a perpetual slacker and tend to need to a little extra motivation to get those assignments in on time, this article should be good news for you. Nootropics are an option. As long as drugs like Adderall, Ritalin and Vyvanse are obtained by those who do not actually need them, these new smart drugs will maintain their ethicality by evening the playing field on college campuses across the country. With nootropics now available to students, some can manage to achieve success in the three main components of college lives: sleep, social life, and academics. With the promise of aiding in the accomplishment of this trifecta, nootropics are looking to be the wave of the future.