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For my friends and me, it's still coffee and Dew all the way. I actually haven't heard of rampant use of this at my school. That doesn't mean it isn't happening, of course.
As far as my opinion on using these goes, I'm a bit split. On the one hand, there are many things that students can do to enhance their academic performance...we can get sufficient amounts of sleep, eat right, exercise often, etc. This just seems like another way to improve performance.
On the other hand, some of these pills are being obtained illcitly, giving users an unfair advantage over their peers. If these are ever approved for casual use, the pills would give wealthier students an advantage over those with less money. And I've always been against gaining something for nothing...this just seems like cheating, to me. Although some would argue that natural talent is simply another form of "cheating." It's a difficult question.
I do believe that concentration is not a substitute for natural intelligence or healthy habits. And short-term memory enhancers will only aid for tests and quizzes, not so much for finals or standardized tests.
I'm glad that I'll be through the most rigorous years of my schooling soon...the pressure to use will undoubtedly become intense.
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