drugs

 

real world

Parents Fear GTA More Than Sex And Alcohol

Posted by Mike Fahey at 1:40 AM on August 12, 2008

Back in my days as a teen, my parents weren't afraid of anything as far as I was concerned, but not all 15-year-olds are 6'6" with a goatee. Today's parents have plenty to worry about in fact, though a recent survey performed at the family-focused consumer game site What They Play seems to indicate their priorities are a bit out of whack. They asked a series of asked over 1,600 respondents what they'd fear the most if their 17-year-old were to participate in a sleepover. The results, picked from single answers only - no multiple choice here - indicated that while 16% were concerned about pornography and 14% about beer, 19% voiced concerns that their child might end up playing Grand Theft Auto.

Proving that parents haven't gone completely crazy, the vast majority - 49% - were worried that their child would smoke a little chronic with their pals and then...I dunno, giggle for 8 hours straight, like we did back when i was a teenager. That's the real danger folks.

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real world

Expert Weighs In On FPSBrain Gaming Enhancement Pills

Posted by Mark Wilson at 7:40 AM on January 30, 2008

product.gifWe let you know about the first official gamer-focused performance enhancer on the market, FPSBrain, earlier this month. The product makes bold claims, promising a "remarkable increase in perception and reaction capacities." Now MTV has called in an expert to evaluate the product. The verdict: FPSBrain pills are basically like energy drinks without as much caffeine. But that doesn't mean that they are the epitome of health. According to dietitian Danielle Marzano, such a product could be detrimental if taken in high doses or mixed with energy drinks:


In addition to caffeine, most...[energy] drinks contain a high sugar content. In combination these ingredients can cause a rush that will eventually come crashing down. Those sensitive to caffeine may even become dizzy and shaky. Taking this pill with an energy drink or taking more than the recommended dosage may cause these effects.
So if you really want to be a better gamer, we recommend you do so the old fashioned way. And cheat.

A Pill That Makes You A Better 'Halo' Player? The Makers And An Expert Weigh In [MTVMultiplayer]

real world

Performance Enhancers Come To Gaming (Officially)

Posted by Mark Wilson at 6:00 AM on January 17, 2008

product.gifLet's be honest, we gamers have been abusing performance enhancing drugs for some time in liquid form— Jolt, Mt. Dew, coffee, tea, me—but a German company named Tomarni thinks they can do one better and make this whole craze official with their new product FpsBrain.

It's not actually an exciting new drug, but a pill that looks like it could double as a gas station performance enhancer, if you know what I mean. B vitamins and a variety of other vaguely familiar mins, sins and tins make up the ingredient list (posted after the jump). If any doctors in the audience would like to elaborate on the listing, by all means do so in the comments (we promise not to sue you). Otherwise, all interested parties can get their own placebos pills at the hefty rate of 60 for $US 30, or about US 50 cents a pop.

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Virtual Crack House Aids Drug Rehab

Posted by Mike Fahey at 1:20 AM on November 7, 2007

crackhouse.jpgAs a gamer, I've been through many virtual-reality crack houses in my time, usually with guns blazing. Duke University professor Zach Rosenthal, however, has an entirely different way of dealing with crackheads in virtual reality - curing them.

"What we're trying to do is take people into a virtual crack-related neighbourhood or crack-related setting and have them experience cravings, just like they would in the real world," Rosenthal said.
Therapists then wait for the cravings to subside and associate it with a trigger such as a specific sound, conditioning the addicts to associate said sound with the cessation of cravings. The idea is that when the addict encounters real-world sensations they can call a phone number to hear the tone, and the cravings go away.

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