Military demonstrates need for 'speed'

In the recent war on Iraq and specifically the speedy advance toward Baghdad, many soldiers supplemented their body's natural adrenaline rush with the use of performance enhancing drugs in order to stay awake and alert.

Pilots often take these drugs to fly 10-hour missions and then successfully engage a specific target. These drugs include prescription drugs such as amphetamines, and over-the-counter dietary supplements such as a mixture of caffeine and ephedrine. They both have a stimulant effect.

Dr. Sum Lau, a professor and division chair in the Department of Pharmacology, said that amphetamines are structurally and functionally similar to methamphetamines (speed) but are less potent and do not effect the central nervous system as much.

"They cause a constriction of blood vessels, which serves as a stimulant to elevate mood and alertness while depressing appetite. They are normally used for diseases like Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)," said Lau.

Lau also said that amphetamine use often had clinical side effects like depression and hypertension. Aggression and paranoia may accompany the feeling of euphoria. Pilots who have been using these drugs for prolonged periods of time run a high risk becoming addicted to them.

A recent report in the Christian Science Monitor reported that "according to military sources, the use of such drugs (commonly Dexedrine) is part of a cycle that includes the amphetamines to fight fatigue and then sedatives to induce sleep between missions. Pilots call them 'go pills' and 'no-go pills.' For most Air Force pilots in the Gulf War (and nearly all pilots in some squadrons), this was the pattern as well. The drugs are legal and pilots are not required to take them-although their careers may suffer if they refuse."

The Christian Science Monitor also spoke with a squadron commander whose unit had the fewest pilots but flew more hours and shot down more Iraqi MIGs than any other squadron. The solider brushed aside concerns about the drugs, saying "If you can't trust them with the medication, then you can't trust them with a $50 million airplane to try and kill someone."

According to Lau, a report in the military suggested that sometimes bombing accidents and friendly fire could be caused by the previously mentioned side effects of paranoia and aggression.

"Some military personnel came back home to North Carolina and killed their wives. This may have been because of violence and aggression caused [by] the drug use," said Lau.

Research by a lab found that the no-go pills used for sedation often caused amnesia during the time the drug had its effect. "For the military aviator, this raises the possibility of taking the medication, going to a brief, taking off and then not remembering what he was told to do," stated the lab's report. However, the military does not believe that the small amount of drugs it recommends would have a very profound effect on the soldiers.

Ephedrine and caffeine are not problem-free either. Common side effects of ephedrine use include the possibility of heart attacks, hemorrhages, strokes and seizures. However, after the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, dietary supplements no longer must be approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

hgazi@unews.com