The article “From recreation to functional drug use: the evolution of drugs in American higher education, 1960-2014” authored by Ross D. Aikins, provides vital insight on the untamed drug usage in the United States higher education platforms. Aikins posits that the usage of cognitive-enhancement drugs in the United States higher education has skyrocketed, propagating the futility of drug use prevention strategies. Furthermore, Aikins justifiably argues that the usage of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) is experiencing an evolving presence for the past half-century. Notably, individuals that should have been otherwise discouraged from indulging in drug usage are openly compelled to use drugs for purported cognitive benefits. Holistically, Aikins affirms that the increasing prevalence of the usage of drugs for functional purposes is a prominent drug-use tendency in American higher education that may spur far-reaching problems to drug use prevention efforts, render drug policies inefficient, and affect postsecondary student affairs.

The surge in drug usage in American has occurred in three phases. The first facet is the period between 1960 and 1975; Aikins deems this period the exploration age. According to Aikins (2014), the onsets of the use of ‘enlightenment’ based drugs occurred before 1960, as denoted by the cases of bebop jazz virtuosos and beat poets. The notion that particular drugs could boost an individual’s cognition spurred numerous empirical studies that sought to ascertain the concept. Further, the studies sought to deduce whether psychomimetics could be weaponized. The 1960s was marketed by the massive entrance of ‘baby boomers’ into higher education. As a result, both the student populace and researchers began exploring psychoactive drugs such as LCD and marijuana. The gravity of the problem was illustrated by a study conducted by Time and Gallup in 1967 which unraveled that 33% of UCLA students had tried marijuana. Correspondingly, 25%, 20% and 15% of the general student population in Harvard, Yale, and Princeton had tried marijuana respectively.

The second phase of drug abuse in higher education was marked by the intensive campaign, promulgation of drug regulations, and establishment of entities such as the Drug Enforcement Agency which is dedicated to curbing illicit drug usage in the United States. The government’s intervention on the spiraling drug problem stemmed from public pressure and the demise of Len Bias, a star athlete who overdosed himself at his University of Maryland dormitory. Nonetheless, the policies were heavily criticized by scientists who perceived the promulgations as stunting scientific logic. On the upside, the policies proved effective in curbing drug usage. However, development of new curiosities in the 1990s to date have rekindled the usage of illicit drugs by college students. The primary prescription drugs abused by college students are opiates, sedatives, and stimulants.

To sum up, the up spiral in the usage of drugs that purportedly foster enlightenment or boost cognitive functions is controversial since it hampers the desired efficiency of human capital. Institutions of higher learning are expected to nurture professionals that would spearhead the thriving of the society. Nonetheless, if students that are anticipated to play a cardinal role in the progression of the economy indulge in detrimental drug-usage habits, their future will be in jeopardy. Moreover, the permissibility of the usage of such drugs under the notion that they boost performance compromises the effectiveness of drug regulation policies. Also, the drug abuse habits perpetuated in higher education may proliferate into the mainstream society, upscaling the prevalence of drug abuse in the United States. Ultimately, there is a dire need for authorities to intervene and launch extensive campaigns that seek to discourage the usage of “enlightenment” drugs in institutions of higher learning.