Activity 4: The Military and Go/No-Go Pills

            I am not opposed to the military’s use of amphetamines to increase the alertness and performances of pilots who may be fatigued from their missions. The use of amphetamines, especially Dexedrine, has shown to help increase consciousness and stabilize sleep. A study done that was mentioned in the New York Times article, showed that in individuals who are not experiencing extreme fatigue, the use of amphetamines has no benefit, but in individuals who are, they performed to a base level, similar to how they would if they weren’t exhausted. I can understand from the benefits that have been proven, why the military would continue to use these drugs. They are not giving the option to use amphetamines to everyone in the work force, but rather giving the option to those individuals who truly could benefit from it: air pilots who are up in flight alone and are on missions that can be as long as ten hours or more. With the issue of the go pills, I also can understand how the “no-go pills” also come into question, as a way to stabilize sleep patterns for these pilots to ensure they will be able to get rest to go back up on the next mission. I also am not opposed to their use.

            Obviously, with use of any type of drug, there will be some consequences or side effects from usage. Some of the side effects mentioned with the use of the go pills and the no-go pills include, addiction, elevated blood pressure, nervousness, aggression, paranoia, and amnesia. I believe that for the majority of the time, at least the impression I received from reading these articles, is that with strict regulation and control of the distribution, these side effects can be minimized and in my opinion, do not take away from the fact that amphetamines can be beneficial to these pilots.

            I agree with the military’s decision to have the option of taking the drug as voluntary, so no pilot is technically forced to bring it with them on their missions. However, I do not agree with the idea that Dexedrine should be a mandatory accessory for a pilot to take along with them on a mission. This, in my opinion, can put some form of pressure on the pilot to have to take it to perform to the military’s expectations.

            Some of the strategies mentioned in the reading to reduce the negative affects of taking these amphetamines are controlling the dosage given to these pilots, and the typical dosage that is given to them now is not as strongly correlated with some of the negative effects mentioned above. The pills are counted and recorded before the pilots take off and when they land. The military is also prohibiting civilian pilots and helicopter pilots from using them, who have shorter mission flights, therefore assessing that the pill be used in situations only if necessary.

            In relation to the class, this topic of using a drug that may not necessarily be “conventional”, for a beneficial purpose is one that we have talked about. Along with the use of medicinal marijuana for example, we also talked about psychedelics, like LSD, who, some argue, can have positive effects on those individuals who may be depressed and experiencing suicidal thoughts.