Students are using 'smart drugs' to get through the HSC.

There’s a dangerous shortcut to studying tempting our students.

Over recent years, there have been reports of increasing numbers of Australian high school and university students turning to prescription pills known as ‘smart drugs’ to remain alert and focused for studying and sitting exams.

To achieve pharmaceutical cognitive enhancement, students have been buying drugs prescribed for conditions like attention deficit hyperactive disorder – such as Ritalin and Dexedrin – online and from friends with prescriptions to help them achieve academically.

We’re told through friends that the abuse of smart drugs is on the rise, but La Trobe University Professor of Public Health Jayne Lucke says despite media reports, there isn’t any hard evidence that the trend is increasing in Australia due to a dearth of data on the topic.

In fact, Prof Lucke – who is currently researching the extent of the issue locally – told Mamamia she suspects there isn’t rampant abuse of the prescription pills by students.

“The idea that there are lots of students running around trying to get medication because they want to do well, even though they’re already doing okay, is probably not the scenario we are looking at,” she says.

“What we think is there’s not a huge prevalence of use.”

Prof Lucke says students who are already using illicit drugs are more likely to use medications for cognitive enhancement.

Last year, almost 600,000 scripts were filled in Australia for ADHD drug Ritalin, 250,000 scripts were filled for similar drug dexamphetamine and 300,000 scripts were filled for memory-enhancing dementia drug Donepezil, The Australian reports.

Prof Lucke says the number of prescriptions for smart drugs was “definitely increasing”, but there was no data on the number of people taking the drugs for illegitimate purposes.

“It’s kind of like people in the workforce – everyone has their stimulant of choice. Whether that’s coffee, or tea, or energy drinks, or exercise, or herbal tea or something, I think everybody works out, in a way, what helps them function best,” she says.

“I think students are no different.”

She says if there was a big problem with smart drugs at schools and universities, it would also be prevalent in the workplace because students would continue with their method of success.

“If there’ll all using stimulants for cognitive enhancement, it’s likely they would be in the workplace too, but there’s no evidence that that’s happening,” Prof Lucke says.

Media hype around the increasing use of smart drugs, reported without data backing up the claims, can be dangerous because students would feel pressured to take the pills if they their classmates had a competitive advantage, she says.

“There is a perception of ‘if it’s a medicine, then it’s a good thing and if you use more of it, then it’s an even better thing’. When in actual fact, when a medicine is prescribed for a disorder or problem, using it on a brain that’s normal, without that disorder, isn’t actually going to do any good – it’s probably going to do harm, if anything.”

Like other stimulants, smart drugs carry health risks related to over-stimulation, including heart problems and increased blood pressure.

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists president Mal Hopwood told The Australian those that used the prescriptions pills were at risk of psychosis, or even death.

In the highly stressful world of academia, use of caffeine, energy drinks and herbal remedies are the norm, but Prof Lucke says exercise is proven to be the best way of cognitively enhancing oneself.

“The problem is people get stressed and look for short-term solutions – and there’s not really any magic bullet,” she says.

The answer? “Good study habits, being organised (not leaving things to the last minute), getting out and doing exercise, making sure you eat well, take a break when you need to, sleeping well, looking after your body so it functions well and allows your brain to do what it’s supposed to.”

It may not be the answer students looking for a quick-fix want to hear, but it is a lot safer than taking drugs prescribed to treat someone else’s condition.