Do nootropic drugs create an uneven playing field?
Whilst the use of cognitive enhancers clearly would provide
some extra comparative benefit to a person, it does
so in the background of a plethora of inequalities (economic,
social, genetic, environmental) which can contribute
to inequalities in cognitive function. Secondly,
given that such substances are already being used (fairly
widely) for their nootropic effects, the playing field is
already tipped towards those who can afford them. By
providing them under legal prescription, we aim to remove
economic and legal barriers to their access.
The creation of a ‘burden to dope’ provides a more serious
challenge to the availability of nootropic drugs,
whether it be directly from another agent (such as an employer)
or a more implicit burden to ‘keep up’ with other
agents who are using cognitive enhancing drugs. However,
to suggest that legal banning such substances would remove
such a burden ignores the fact that this burden
already exists within certain populations; in an environment
of unregulated supply and lack of medical monitoring. Secondly,
it naïvely assumes that by making such drugs available
implies that they would be available unconditionally. If
the provision of such drugs would be held to the same standards
as other healthcare services, i.e. that of patient autonomy
(free from external constraints and having relevant
internal capacities to consent [11]), then it is unclear why
cognitive enhancement should be considered distinct from
other elective procedures such as plastic surgery. Therefore,
we argue that, carefully monitored, the right to access of
nootropic drugs should be advocated.