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I have to admit, before I signed on to Valleywag, I had a few issues with the "OC-80 scare of '07." Sure, maybe jaded VCs or entrepreneurs who'd already cashed out where taking strong painkillers, but up-and-comers? They're going to be on antidepressants like Wellbutrin and Effexor — Prozac and Zoloft are old news — and stimulants. So it was some amusement that I read Provigil has become popular.

A long-acting stimulant, Provigil is normally prescribed to those suffering from sleep disorders such as apnea-induced narcolepsy. It definitely gives a mild buzz and increases wakefulness, without many of the harsher side-effects that, say, methamphetamine might. And it doesn't require constant dosing like cocaine or shorter-acting amphetamine cogeners Ritalin and Adderall do.

But "not habit-forming," as some claim? Hilarious. While it has little appeal as a party drug, the fact that people are working Provigil into their work lives to sustain workaholic behaviors should reveal all you need to know about any claims made by the manufacturer which suggest it's not addictive. Using a substance to feed your process addiction (and likely combining it with alcohol and sleep aids like Ambien) is a prescription for trouble. Good luck with that.