Many Scientists Using Performance Enhancing Drugs

docinthemachine is one of several readers to send word of a new poll published in Nature showing unprecedented levels of cognitive performance-enhancing drug abuse by top academic scientists. The poll, conducted among subscribers to Nature, surveyed 1,400 scientists from 60 nations (70% from the US). 20% reported using performance-enhancing drugs. Among the drug-using population, 62% used Ritalin, 44% used Provigil, and 15% used beta-blockers like Inderal. Frequency of use was evenly divided among those who used drugs daily, weekly, monthly, and once a year. All such use without a prescription is illegal.

Comments

Re:Not all use is illegal

[Anonymous Coward]

Should I cry for you for fucking up your own life? You live in a world with rules. They exist whether you like them or not. You play by them or you get ejected out of the game. I tell the same thing to all the kids I council at the local University. No one cares if you think the law is stupid. It exists. It is part of the system you want to participate in. If you think a rule it unjust and if you want to change it, you need to work inside the system that exists. That means you have to follow the fucking rules.

you can't destroy my argument

[circletimessquare]

by making statements that support it

"You may not like yourself after using drugs, but that is not related to your basic understanding of the "self.""

try parsing that comment of yours a little further, then get back to me

Re:No, it's not drug abuse.

[QMO]

And come correct. Don't come with a bunch of meaningless, BS quotes from some anti-drug source. Come with facts and hard evidence to disprove what I say, or don't come at all. I offer a translation:
And come agreeing with me. I make guesses about the effect of legalizing heroin that fly in the face of history, so if you find facts and hard evidence to disprove what I say, then expect me to call your sources names.

Don't like it? Move.

[FatSean]

Your argument makes sense, but if the majority want these programs, your only option is to move.

By nature of your living in a nation, you are expected to confirm to the rules of that nation.

If you don't like being on the hook to help out those less fortunate, you could always move to a country that requires up-front payment for emergency services.

ER doctor calls bullshit on all of ya

[NIckGorton]

If you don't want to pay the cost associated with my behavior, then don't pay it. If I overdose on drugs, let me lay there and die if I don't have insurance or can't pay the bill myself if you so choose. But your actions in assuming responsibility for my debts don't give you any legitimate authority over my behavior. I am always amused by these sorts of comments... and its not just yours, but the whole lot of the comments about letting people suffer and die if they are uninsured and in some way bear responsibility for their injuries.

That sentiment and $4 will get you a cup of Starbucks coffee. I defy any of you who talk so tough to spend a Saturday night in the ER with me and then tell me not to aid someone dying of an overdose or because they didn't wear a bike helmet, or because they have a spare tire and are having a heart attack. Or better yet, we'll do that with one of the local college kids whose health insurance doesn't pay for any of their alcohol related ER visits. When a 19 year old girl who is someone's daughter is choking on her own vomit because she doesn't have the experience to drink responsibly and got shit faced... you tell me to let her turn blue, stop breathing, and go into cardiac arrest. And after, I will let you have the pleasure of telling her weeping parents that we just let that happen because its her own fault.

You are all so full of shit and bluster you make Ann Coulter seem reasonable. Not a single one of you would have the balls to do that, and would likely be cowering in the corner screaming at me to do something! while you wet your pants.

That said, I do think that we as a society have a right to make non-punitive behavior modification strategies to improve the overall function of society. That means we should decriminalize drug use. However then spend the same money on drug treatments, prevention, and mandating treatment for dangerous behaviors (if you end up in the ER overdosed, drive stoned, etc. we should be able to force you to seek some sort of drug treatment.) Like everything else, black and white don't cut it. Locking up people for 20 years for smoking a doobie is as retarded as making heroin available to anyone at the 7-11.