There is a rare desert shrub known in English as Ephedra which was used medicinally for thousands of years. In China, guards of the Great Wall were given this medicine to help them in alertness.
In the 1920’s a Japanese scientist isolated the compound ephedrine from the plant, and noted it had similar properties to adrenaline.
A synthetic analog was produced by scientists in Los Angeles USA- these were the first synthetic amphetamines. Their amazing capabilities were noted right away and they spread across the world- but with the onset of total war in WW2, more and more governments turned to amphetamines to give soldiers and workers the energy, concentration, or just plain manic rush to do what needed done.
It is well known the Nazis used amphetamines extensively- amphetamines are one of the key factors cited in the initial rapid “blitz” that won the Nazis so much ground so quickly early in the war. Tank crews were given chocolate bars laced with meth and refereed to in English..
.. translation as “tankers chocolate.” Now among the few credits that are given to the Nazis are things like their public works, social welfare, and overall focus on public health. The Nazis had a poor view of drugs and general prohibitions- but the use of amphetamines was a strategic measure that contradicted the party message. Early on many of the health and mental effects of amphetamines weren’t known or were poorly understood. The same as meth fueled the blitz initial success- as extended and heightened use and addiction set in, amphetamines were partly to blame for later failures as the effectiveness of the German war machine on the front and back home ran into problems stemming from the drugs.
Germany first outlawed public sale and use, and then began to meter military use. The Nazis have quite the rep for amphetamines but… the crown maybe belongs elsewhere.
Japan for example made HEAVY use of amphetamines. Japanese pilots were given the drug for long missions and night readiness. Soldiers were supplied as well as workers and others. Later in the war the Kamikaze pilots were given injections of liquid amphetamines along with amphetamine pills before their suicide missions. After the war, Japan experienced the first drug crisis in the recorded history of the nation. Massive stockpiles of amphetamines made for war time were left behind. Private pharmaceutical companies sold these drugs legally in the open market without prescription. Soldiers and workers accustomed to the drugs from the war often continued use, and in the post war reconstruction with all the work needing done- the period where Japan became known for the stereotypical relentless work ethic and “work to death” culture from the desperate need to reconstruct the dev estates nation- many used these drugs to help with energy and long hours and stress. The drugs also helped with..
.. hunger and for many during and right after the war food was often scarce or undesirable. The Yakuza and black markets also acquired Imperial Japanese amphetamines stocks and sold the drugs as well. Millions of Japanese were recorded as meth addicts. When Japan made amphetamines controlled substances in the 1950’s, in one year alone over 50,000 arrests were made for amphetamines.
To this day amphetamines continue to be an issue in a country where illegal drugs are a somewhat uncommon problem in general.
Of course Americans were credited with moving the drugs from large cities to small towns. Instances of American service members trafficking amphetamines to rural towns occurred but were usually covered up because of a general deference to the American military. Which brings us to America….
America used lots of amphetamines in WW2. Pilots and tankers and soldiers and sailors and more. Amphetamines were used back home too. During and after the war the US allowed amphetamines to be sold legally and the US medical community and largely the government viewed the drugs as safe. Truckers and many tradespeople were known to use the drugs very commonly. many or most “diet pills” or “pep pills” marketed to especially women and house wives for their ability to suppress appetite and quickly aged pounds, to increase energy and confidence and well being for house work and socializing etc. we’re just basically amphetamines.
The military continued to supply amphetamines to soldiers and pilots beyond world war 2, In the Korean War U.S. service personnel were routinely given amphetamines. The US finally started to restrict amphetamines for civilians… in 1965. They became a schedule 2 illicit substance in… 1975.
The US military… kept at it with their “D-amphetamines.” In 2003 the issue came up after two pilots who had complained of fatigue were told to go get amphetamines and shortly after killed allied soldiers in a “friendly fire” bombing mistake. At the time there was much controversy as the military did require a medical visit and a signed “informed consent form” by pilots for the “voluntary program” of amphetamine administration- but it’s policies also were very clear that a pilot refusing to take amphetamines could be taken off flight status- a potentially career ending or at least severely impacting status which also prohibits pilots from doing the thing they trained and are relied on to do- fly.
Those who recall the gulf war period might recall the extensive nighttime bombing, and even into the modern day, especially when dealing with enemies lacking modernized weapons systems and technology, nighttime is still often the choice for air operations or ground operations requiring air support due to the advantage of cover of darkness and fatigue night assaults can give an attacker who is prepared and equipped to work in darkness. To be able to be on standby and able to fly these night missions at alert and combat ready, amphetamines are often essentially required unless a pilot is willing to say they are unfit to fly their assigned missions and take the flight status, reputation, and placing their work on others who have to possibly fly multiple sorties to cover for them. They also lose the flight time as well as any opportunities to accumulate mission and campaign awards or pay bonuses. So throughout most of Americas looong stretch of desert wars- amphetamines have continued to..
.. keep our ear machine running. Amphetamines are obviously a major crime and public health issue amongst American civilians as well. Their wide availability and high demand led to a captive audience. When they became harder to get legally, production moved to illegal channels to supply the lingering demand. The current meth epidemic is in large part an echo of American use of amphetamines in world war 2 and our continued reliance on them for war and economic growth post ww2. Germany didn’t see quite the same post war issues with amphetamines as the US or Japan as the Nazis had already curtailed public meth use and legality before war end and after the war the production of amphetamines in Germany was hampered by the seizing of major manufacturing facilities by the Soviets as well as the general destruction to the country. Of course many other countries used amphetamines in WW2 or continued to use them especially for military use too.
More in Americas love of amphetamines though- asides continued military use, note that ephedra- the naturally occurring chemical amphetamines were originally a synthetic copy of- were not banned in the USA for sales to consumers until 2004- up until then ephedra or synthetic ephedra (amphetamines..) were openly and legally used in many over the counter products, especially weight loss products. Also note that prescription amphetamines such as diet pills or other medically indicated amphetamines are still prescribed both as necessary medicine but also more frivolously by doctors as well.
There is still a strong gray market for foreign products containing ephedra or for products with ephedra like compounds in the diet and fitness markets.
Also note that certain psychological medications are amphetamines or analogs or similar compounds such as certain popular ADHD medicines which have seen sharp rises in use and prescription. Many “nootropics” are amphetamines or pseudo amphetamines and stimulants as well. America loves its amphetamines since we first discovered them. We don’t always like the side effects and consequences, but amphetamines are big business and relied on by many. So keep in mind when looking at history that amphetamines were not the purview of one specific group, but above all the Americans are probably top of the list on amphetamines.
In the 1920’s a Japanese scientist isolated the compound ephedrine from the plant, and noted it had similar properties to adrenaline.
A synthetic analog was produced by scientists in Los Angeles USA- these were the first synthetic amphetamines. Their amazing capabilities were noted right away and they spread across the world- but with the onset of total war in WW2, more and more governments turned to amphetamines to give soldiers and workers the energy, concentration, or just plain manic rush to do what needed done.
It is well known the Nazis used amphetamines extensively- amphetamines are one of the key factors cited in the initial rapid “blitz” that won the Nazis so much ground so quickly early in the war. Tank crews were given chocolate bars laced with meth and refereed to in English..
Germany first outlawed public sale and use, and then began to meter military use. The Nazis have quite the rep for amphetamines but… the crown maybe belongs elsewhere.
To this day amphetamines continue to be an issue in a country where illegal drugs are a somewhat uncommon problem in general.
Of course Americans were credited with moving the drugs from large cities to small towns. Instances of American service members trafficking amphetamines to rural towns occurred but were usually covered up because of a general deference to the American military. Which brings us to America….
The military continued to supply amphetamines to soldiers and pilots beyond world war 2, In the Korean War U.S. service personnel were routinely given amphetamines. The US finally started to restrict amphetamines for civilians… in 1965. They became a schedule 2 illicit substance in… 1975.
There is still a strong gray market for foreign products containing ephedra or for products with ephedra like compounds in the diet and fitness markets.