[insertnickname]

1. Methylphenidate (Ritalin) is not "meth", that's methamphetamine.

2. I'm not judging people who use any of these drugs, whatever their purpose. If it were up to me, all drug laws would be repealed and the state would have no say about what anyone is allowed to put in their own bodies. I'm only pointing out that there are stark differences between caffine and drugs like amphetamine, methylphenidate, and, yes, even modafinil, and lumping them all together as "stimulants" isn't useful to this discussion. (If modafinil is no better than caffeine, why does anyone bother going through the hassle and expense of obtaining it when caffeine is dirt-cheap and easily accessible?)

This discussion is not about villifying drugs or people who use them, it's about the unreasonable, inhumane workload that medical students are expected to handle. If 75 % of medical students feel the need for and take steps to obtain prescription drugs, whether illegally or by getting a prescription, then there is clearly something wrong with medical school. If 75 % of medical students drink coffee or other caffinated beverages, that is not a cause for concern (for me, at least).