Overcommitted to Medication

Nearly every student wishes there were more hours in the day. In lieu of that, many Harvard undergrads have found a way to be more productive with the 24 hours they have: As a recent piece in the New Yorker reports, the use of “neuroenhancing” study drugs such as Adderall and Ritalin at places like Harvard is pervasive. Though the New Yorker piece is largely anecdotal and does not necessarily indicate a meaningful rise in the use of study drugs at Harvard, it calls attention to the greater implications of the use of such drugs. We disapprove of the use of study drugs without prescriptions and also find fault with the cultural pressure students at Harvard feel that leads them to push their bodies and minds beyond their natural capacities.

One reason to condemn the use of neuroenhancing drugs is the simple illegality that is often attendant to their use. Students who obtain a prescription from a doctor for a legitimate reason should be allowed to use Adderall and Ritalin. There are certainly some students who have extreme trouble focusing and have a medical reason to use these drugs. The way that many students obtain study drugs, however, is by buying them from students with prescriptions. We disapprove of students who obtain—and use—such drugs illicitly, just as we criticize of any other misuse of prescription substances. Prescribed drugs are not a commodity to be shared; they are intended for the patient’s use alone.

Improper use of such study drugs not only is illegal but also creates inequalities among students. Harvard does its best to make sure financial situations do not impact a student’s ability to excel at Harvard, but students who are more socioeconomically prosperous are the ones who are able to illegally buy study drugs from others. When these students are able to pay high prices for drugs through the black market, they receive an unfair academic advantage.

It is also worth questioning the reason why so many students feel compelled to use neuroenhancing drugs. At Harvard, there is pressure to take a rigorous courseload whose time constraints are then compounded by extracurricular activities, jobs, social obligations, and more. That so many students at Harvard—and at other universities—feel the need to use study drugs to help fit everything into their day is quite telling. Perhaps students should not take on so many obligations if doing so means that they must supplement their natural abilities with drugs.

Unfortunately, as long as people are prescribed study drugs, there will always be a black market among students. Even more important than stopping the illegal drug selling, however, is addressing the underlying reason why so many students feel the need to use illicit substances to expand their mental and physical capacities. Students should realize that they won’t need to swallow pills if they stop trying to accomplish more than is within their natural abilities.