When James Webster first took a study drug during his second year of university, he felt like he’d discovered a cheat code.
“It makes you feel like unless you get up and do something, you’re going to explode,” the 25-year-old said.
“Honestly, most of my mates use it. Around exams, it’s just kind of normal — like, everyone’s got their own stash. No one really thinks twice about it.”
The drug in question is modafinil, a prescription medication licensed in the UK to treat narcolepsy and other sleep disorders.
However, on university campuses, it’s found a second life as a cognitive enhancer — a so-called “smart drug” used by students hoping to stay sharp during long revision sessions.
Unlike recreational drugs, modafinil is prized not for its euphoric effects, but for its ability to promote wakefulness, improve focus, and stave off mental fatigue.
Though it doesn’t directly boost intelligence, many students believe it helps them work harder, for longer.
Webster is far from alone. A recent study found that 6.9% of UK university students have used modafinil without a prescription — a figure that equates to nearly 200,000 of the country’s 2.9 million students.
What’s more, researchers suggest the real number is likely higher due to underreporting.
Legally, the situation is murky. While it’s not illegal to possess modafinil for personal use, supplying it without a prescription is against the law.
Since 2019, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has seized over 700,000 pills, underscoring its widespread, and often illicit, availability.
On the black market, a single tablet can cost less than £1.
Yet, beyond legalities, a deeper ethical debate is simmering.
Is taking a cognitive enhancer, such as Modafinil, to improve academic performance fundamentally different from pulling an all-nighter with caffeine?
Is it an unfair advantage, or simply a modern tool for productivity?
The lines are blurred. A recent survey found that 72.5% of students do not consider using modafinil to be cheating.
That figure rose to 74% when participants were told its effects are comparable to a strong cup of coffee.
Many argue that since the drug doesn’t create new knowledge, it’s merely a study aid — no different from energy drinks or nootropics.
“I get it — I can understand why someone would do it,” said Jonny Davies, 25, who has a prescription for Ritalin, another stimulant sometimes used off-label for study.
“Especially when I saw mates burning out trying to keep up without anything extra. The system rewards output, not effort.
“For me, it helps me settle down and focus. There are just so many distractions these days.”
However, some students remain uneasy. The same study found that 21.5% of students do view the use of modafinil as a form of academic dishonesty, raising concerns about fairness and access.
Those without the financial means or willingness to use study drugs can feel left behind.
“It definitely tips the scales,” admitted Webster. “But with no clear rules, people justify it as a personal choice.”
To make matters worse, institutional guidance is scarce. While UK universities have long-standing policies on plagiarism and collusion, few address cognitive enhancers in their academic integrity frameworks.
For instance, the London School of Economics (LSE) has no known initiatives to educate students on the risks of study drug use, leaving many in a grey area.
“I don’t want to cross the line,” Webster said. “I just don’t always know where it is.”
Beyond ethics, health concerns loom large. Students report side effects such as insomnia, headaches, and heightened anxiety.
For Davies, the downsides became painfully clear.
“The after-effects were never really explained,” he said.
“I started taking Concerta, and that stuff was intense. As soon as you took it, you’d get loads of work done — but the whole time, you’d feel incredibly socially anxious. I was never really an anxious person, but suddenly, I had social anxiety out of nowhere.
“If I take one after 4 o’clock, I’m not getting to sleep before midnight.”
Despite its popularity, scientific evidence for modafinil’s cognitive benefits remains modest.
A 2019 meta-analysis found small improvements in memory and processing speed, with more significant effects observed in sleep-deprived individuals — perhaps explaining its appeal during all-night cramming sessions.
Yet, as students increasingly turn to pharmaceutical aids, the broader implications of this cultural shift remain unclear.
The normalisation of neuroenhancement raises questions about fairness, pressure, and what academic achievement truly represents in a competitive environment.
Corporate interest in the space is growing too.
In 2018, Red Bull filed a patent for a modafinil compound, signalling that the market for cognitive enhancers is being eyed beyond the black market.
“There was a bit of a culture, but not as widespread as people say it is,” Davies added.
“People at university would always come and approach me and try to buy them.”
That culture, quiet though it may be, shows no sign of going away.
Featured image credit: ZC Comms via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 4.0 licence
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