Recent data suggests that the use of brain-boosting drugs, like Novartis' Ritalin, or methylphenidate, and Cephalon's Provigil, or modafinil, have seen a 300% growth in supply and use from 1995 to 2006. This poses the question if the drugs are safe and what are the long term effects of this medication on healthy people, who use the drugs either to improve on their brain function or to get high.

It seems that more and more people are using Ritalin to improve their brain function in order to give them a leading edge at school or at work. The brain enhancing drugs are used by a variety of people from teachers and students to desk workers.

 Presently, some are really appalled by the idea of such artificial stimulants, while others are embracing the idea if the long term effects of the drugs are minor. It is well known that a normal person uses a very small amount of the total power of his brain and maybe with a little help from these kind of the drugs, humanity can benefit on the long run.

The problem is with those that use the stimulants for other purposes than the drugs are designed for, like getting high and living short, colorful dreams. People with special conditions, who require these drugs are not a problem in the equation. Healthy people and the effects these drugs have on people who don’t naturally have the need for them is the issue to be resolved.

All in all, until these questions will have an answer, the use of brain enhancers will not go away, it is actually expected that the demand for these types of drugs will rise even further.