Who doesn’t want to be smarter in 14 days? If there was a pill that would do the job, would you take it? My email box is bulging with promotions for drugs like Geniux, Neurocell, Adderin, and Synage. According to the emails, these miracle cures are capable of rapidly improving cognition. Let’s be clear: the premise is old, tired, and still quite popular with scammers.
Longevity of the Be Smarter in 14 Days scam
One thing is certain, when the bad guys come across a winning formula, they stick to it. The premise has been around for years, yet people still fall for it, partly because it’s easier to find fake information about the drugs than it is legitimate news. Oh wait, it’s a scam. Could that be why there are no legitimate news reports discussing how Geniux will make you smarter in 14 days?
Testimonials
There are plenty of “testimonial” sites explaining how these drugs will make you smarter in 14 days. On those sites, you’ll read how the drug can improve your energy level, concentration, and other brain functions. Is it any surprise the sites providing these testimonials also sell the product?
Well, what about Dr. Oz and Stephen Hawking? Didn’t they give these drugs their stamps of approval? True, Dr. Oz did go down the slippery slope once, but he’s since seen the light. No more promoting shady drugs for him. There are rumors of a CNN report in which Anderson Cooper and Stephen Hawking discussed these drugs. The beauty of the scam is there is no presence of the report. Therefore, it can’t be verified because it doesn’t exist.
The real deal
There are indeed drugs designed to improve cognition. One of those is Adderall, which consists of central nervous system stimulants, also known as amphetamines. In just the right balance, the drug can help with ADHD, narcolepsy, athletic performance, and cognition. Take too much, however, and you’re in for some nasty side effects.
I’m finding the news on this subject so interesting I may want to use the premise in a future mystery—which is fiction, not reality. Exactly the same as the drugs designed to make someone smarter in 14 days.
I know I’m smarter fourteen minutes after I’ve had my morning coffee!
Otherwise, chemicals to enhance our minds is pretty tricky business. Just like you said in the Real Deal, there is that tiny gray area between too much and too little.