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.