A pill that doesn’t make you high or jumpy but makes you fully alert and aware? Sign me up. I never get enough sleep. If I could take a pill that could make me alert, without making me act like a cracked up speed freak, I’m in.
People seem to be objecting to the drug being used for anyone who does not have narcolepsy. If the side-effects are minor (less destructive than caffiene) then fork it over to the public. It seems there is this feeling that just because something is a drug we shouldn’t have it. I disagree. What is it that is wrong with illegal drugs? The damage they do to your system? What if there is no (or minor) damage? The intoxication? What if there is no intoxication?
Saying “You can’t have it because it’s a drug.” seems foolish. If we come up with some really useful shit like this let’s have it! Sleep is my second biggest enemy (laundry being the first). Don’t get me wrong, I love sleeping when I can, but I HATE bieng tired when I have a million things to do.
Quit holding out. Hook it up. The kids are tired these days.
Less destructive than caffeine does not necessarily mean no harmful side effects. Caffeine has some pretty nastuy side effects if you get enough of it.
Well, even breathing is in a way harmful (free radical damage and such - the cumulative process of this type of damage we can call aging). I guess I’m talking about something with side effects that are negligible (like caffeine). My initial statement stands though. I would LOVE a drug like that. Provigil doesn’t quite qualify. The side effects are mild headaches and suspected (not proven) long term damage to the immune system typically caused by lack of sleep. This is why I further qualified. The line of thinking is that if this Provigil can do it, what if they come up with a drug that is no worse than the things we eat at McDonalds (as far as the damage it does)? Is it acceptable to keep people up for days if it doesn’t really hurt them? For some reason people seem to think so, and I don’t understand why. Let me try a rephrase:
Given a drug that is relatively harmless which can keep you awake and alert , should we allow the general population access?
It seems like there is a stigma against the idea od drug induced awakeness just because of the rap cocaine and speed have. My point is that if you take away the harmful effects then what is the problem?
dalovindj: Absolutely. I try to minimise breathing as much as possible. (Actually, I really do. Minimal amount of breathing you can manage comfortable and breathe through your nosel. Believe it or not it helps.)
I would never, ever even consider using such a drug,as much as I might like to. I got addicted to caffeine, and it scared me. I don’t even do anything as strong as caffeine any more.
On the other hand I do think it should be made publically available, at least provisionally, after it has been very extensively safety tested.
From an economic standpoint… let’s say a large portion of the US were on this drug, being more productive, working longer hours, maybe having a second job, whatever. Then what about people who can’t afford to be on this drug. Do they become less desireable employees just because they can’t afford/choose not to take this pill?
Maybe a bit of a stretch I know, but it could be an issue.
Unless the side effects are unusually dangerous, they shouldn’t e an issue. Doctors have no problems handing out drugs with a lot of side effects. Birth control pills are pretty easy to obtain, for example, and although they are awesome they don’t fit the strict definition of medical neccesity.
I’d expect this drug would be treated a lot like birth control- under medical supervision but basically freely availible.
I’d also like to see the psychological impact of prolonged wakefulness via this drug. IIRC, without a certain amount of REM sleep, you eventually wig-out. I’m not sure I’m ready for a wide-awake, vigilant and whacked-out person in the office next to mine…
I want it, I want it, I want it too, just like dalovindj and even sven. I don’t want to stay up for days, just long enough and alert enough to finish essays and assignments. Just so that if I want to watch ‘The Bill’ or ‘Survivor’, or I’ve spent too many hours on the SDMB, I know I’ll be awake enough afterwards to read about the detrimental and anti-social effects of television and bulletin boards.
Well, it’s 4:45 a.m. I’ve been at work for almost 7 hours with 3 more to go. My ass is dragging. It doesn’t matter how much sleep I get during the day or early evening, I’m stil tired around 5:00 a.m. I would love to have some of this stuff.
Well, there is the problem with prolonged use of amphetamines known as amphetamine psychosis. What I don’t know is if the psychosis stems from long periods of no sleep, or if the cause is chemical changes in the brain. Most likely it is a combination of both. IANAD, but I would guess that anything that does keep you up for too long could probably lead to similar issues.
(Actually, I really do. Minimal amount of breathing you can manage comfortable and breathe through your nosel. Believe it or not it helps.)