Have you ever questioned your ability to finish everything at top quality in time? Have you ever complained to your friends about your workload? If so, then chances are someone has suggested you take some sort of study drug to help you focus or work more efficiently. Various forms of study drugs have been taken by students to increase academic performance for years. In Australia, university faculty responses have been rather lax and more focused on student health instead of a potential integrity violation (Dunn et al., 2020). According to Dunn et al. (2020), the university setting may promote the use of study drugs to meet requirements and deadlines by increasing study stamina and focus.
Dunn et al. (2020) surveyed
14 faculty members, institutional department heads or support roles. During this
study, the researchers questioned if the faculty knew study drugs were being
used and if they would deem it as cheating. Their consensus indicated knowledge
of study drug usage however, many argued that they would not deem usage as cheating.
With this in mind, is study drug a problem that should be considered cheating? Should
it be discouraged, or individuals penalized for usage?
Personally, I lean more
to the “as long as they learn the material” viewpoint. Sure, one can argue that
such drug usage provides an unfair advantage in an already tilted education
system. In that regard, the counterpoint is that study drugs also offer a
benefit to those who are “impaired” (i.e. diagnosed with ADHD and its variants or
LD). What makes a study drug less acceptable than caffeine? Almost every
student I know has consumed exorbitant amounts of caffeine in their study sessions
around finals or midterms. Mazanov et al. (2013) surveyed almost 1800 students
in which about 86% used caffeine to enhance study performance. Is caffeine abuse
worse than Adderall? Similarly, other drugs such as SSRI, SNRI, anti-anxiety medication
and psychostimulants have seen increased usage over the years (Morris et al., 2021).
Should all focus psychoactive drugs be barred? Should those students be denied
their prescriptions in the case of fairness? The threat of abuse with study drugs
is real and should be addressed in another blog. But if a student learns the material,
should they be looked down upon or disciplinary action be taken if an individual
is taking a study drug?
Dunn, M., Dawson, P., Bearman, M., & Tai, J. (2020).
‘I’d struggle to see it as cheating’: The policy and regulatory environments of
study drug use at universities. Higher Education Research & Development,
40(2), 234–246. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1738351
, , , & (2013). Substance use to enhance academic performance among Australian university
students. Performance Enhancement & Health, 2(3), 110–118. doi: 10.1016/j.peh.2013.08.017
Morris, M. R.,
Hoeflich, C. C., Nutley, S., Ellingrod, V. L., Riba, M. B., & Striley, C.
W. (2021). Use of psychiatric medication by college students: A decade of
data. Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug
Therapy, 41(4), 350.
https://doi-org.dml.regis.edu/10.1002/phar.2513
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