Is it moral to use performance enhancing drugs?

[Old Geezer]

If a worthwhile essay exists on this please let me know/

Otherwise.

It seems that psycho-tropic and certain other drugs can be deemed immoral based on either their effects on one's ability to perceive and accurately judge reality, or their health effects or their addictive properties..

But what about performance enhancing drugs? Strattera for instance has been proven to improve people's ability to complete cognitive tasks more effectively and accurately . And unlike its stimulant cousing ritalin, does not seem to have the same negative effects on the body.

steroids in certain social contexts (sports for instance) are wrong because its illegality within the organization and under the law means that ticketholders are operating under the assumption thatthey are paying to watch people whose ability is only influenced by their genetics, training/coaching methods, will, and diet.(etc)

am I correct in identifying the following principles in consideration of the morality of performance enhancing drugs?

1. Health

2. Physical Addictiveness.

3. Social Context (jobs, sports policies etc)

4. Consideration of Value of Drug Vs. Legal consequences

5. Stipulation that drug not effect perceptual/conceptual abilities

Are there more principles to be considered? Are any of these not fully valid?

[source]

If a drug made my brain work at 150%, and there was no health hazards, it didn't cause addictiveness and didn't degrade my perceptual/conceptual abilities, I'd probably take it and I'd see no reason why not.

I believe that would be moral no matter what the law said about it. Laws don't make things immoral just because they exist, it is their own nature that determines whether laws themselves are moral or immoral.

IMO, all laws that forbid the usage of drugs (whether addictive, hazardous for health or not), are immoral, because it is the choice of the individual whether or not he or she will take that drug - they are not endangering anyone by the mere act of taking the drug.

EDIT: Say you're in a war and you have a drug that boosts your muscles and has no side-effects. Would you take it or would you hesitate just because there's a law in your country which forbids the usage of preformance enhancing drugs?

[NewYorkRoark]

I have taken Adderall before but I do not have and have not had a prescription. This is the problem that I see Objectivists having with it's use (only if my premises are correct):

Y - Discipline and attentiveness are learned abilities. One can choose to become disciplined and one can choose to be attentive.

Z - If ADD drugs enable individuals to become disciplined and be attentive, by definition, the term enable implies that the individuals were unable to become disciplined and unable to be attentive before.

Z requires that Y is false.

Ultimately, it seems as though this corrodes the power of volition. It seems to cure a lack of will.

Personally, I am against the use of ADD drugs. If you can't do it on your own, what's the point? Also, I feel as though it's too good to be true. It seems that, as steroid use will eventually destroy ones body, ADD drug use will eventually destroy ones mind. I have not come across any studies to indicate one way or the other, but I can't help but imagine a long-term cocaine-like result from long-term ADD drug usage.

I also am concerned about the blatant over-prescription of ADD drugs. Everyone and their mother has "ADD" these days. I garauntee I could get a prescription if I wanted to, but I don't because I can do without it.

(Edit: Removed quote of entire previous post, as unnecessary - sNerd)

Edited December 29, 2005 by softwareNerd

[ex_banana-eater]

I use nootropics to boost my cognitive abilities. In studies they improve memory, recall speed, psychomotor tasks, and "concentration." Since I feel the benefits outweigh the costs of purchasing them, this is a wholy moral activity, as it objectively benefits my life and happiness in the context of my own values.

[Scott_Connery]

I think the question hinges around wheter or not you are gaining or losing value by taking the drugs. Some cases are quite clear cut, others are much more gray. I would certainly take "wonder drugs" that gave value with no side effects, but it would be immoral to go on some sort of PCP bender that gave you super human strength for say a week, and then left you dead.

I think you have a good list of the considerations that need to evaluated.