Study Finds Many Poker Players Use Performance Enhancers
If you’re popping a dose of your little brother’s Ritalin when you head online to play poker, you’re probably not the only one. In fact, in a recent survey performed by a team of researchers from Nova Southeastern University in Florida, fully eighty percent of those poker players surveyed admitted to using some type of performance enhancer beyond a regular cup of coffee or an energy drink.
It makes perfect sense, folks, to have a cup of coffee or even a whole pot of it brewed if you’re heading into a big tournament, but seriously people, researchers interviewed poker players in Vegas who said they took everything from marijuana to cocaine to amphetamines, not to mention prescription medications like Valium, Adderal, and Ritalin. Three quarters of the users said they’re looking for a way to focus and concentrate. The others are looking for ways to calm their nerves, stay awake, and keep their memories sharper.
May we recommend some green tea to calm your nerves, some coffee to stay awake, and for crying out loud, if you want to sharpen your memory, stay off the weed! Sure, these tourneys are physically grueling. Some of them go on for hours. If you want your mind to stay sharp, though, you need to keep your body clean of toxins. Get a good night’s sleep before the tournament. Drink plenty of water. Try green tea to soothe your nerves. If you’re having trouble staying calm, learn to meditate.
Poker’s already been termed a sport in some countries. It’s only a matter of time before they start testing players for drugs and performance enhancers. Be ready to play using your own brain power. Don’t let illegal drug use now burn you out for future play. Remember that some of these drugs affect your mind in ways that are not fully understood by scientists and doctors. You may be causing permanent damage, maybe to the very parts of your brain that you need to be the best poker player out there.
