[benkahuna]

[ QUOTE ]


But, where mental stamina is a significant factor in performance, it does not seem unreasonable to restrict drugs if you want to make sure the playing field is level.

[/ QUOTE ]

It's still nonsense. I think your comment, despite its ostensible reasonableness, ignores the reality of drugs that could aid mental stamina.

You're living in some sort of weird ideal world, not this one. Are you going to ban caffeine? You get a similar edge in the short term from caffeine that you get from amphetamines. It might even be better because caffeine doesn't have the issues involving dopaminergic pathways that are involved in schizophrenia. Are you going to ban cocaine? That helps people stay awake too? Many of these stimulant drugs affecting noradrenergic neurons are only effective in the short term and their intermediate or long term use can cause problems which would impair one's ability at the poker table in addition to any issues related to mental clarity. So then you may be punishing people who are already punishing themselves.

If you don't allow older players to use caffeine, could that be construed as age discrimination since older players (Harrington claims this at least) don't have the energy needed to play for long period s of time and pay attention? Are we going to discriminate against people addicted to cocaine or methamphetamine? Are we going to discriminate against addicts now too?

I'm a little surprised that your response came after someone mentioned a person taking a drug prescribed to them by a licensed physican. Obviously, context matters (such as whether the drug was taken as prescribed and for a real medical condition, not just for the tournament). Are we now going to discriminate against people with medical conditions treated by stimulant drugs?

Our society is unbelieveably hypocritical about drugs, largely based on misunderstanding about them and an irrational fear of addiction. Addiction rates, even after drugs were made illegal and even following many major drug law changes in the US have stayed about the same.