"Go Pills and no-Go-Pills"

 

Reading the three articles about the use of “go pills” or Dexedrine I instantly thought that such use of amphetamines in the military can be unethical. I personally do not think that the military should be allowing combat pilots to use amphetamines to increase alertness or performance. I do not believe that the military is being ethical by providing/allowing the use of amphetamines to its people. There are so many possible side effects that are pointed out by the three articles which include: depression, addiction, elevated blood pressure/heart rate and even paranoia. Yes, the military is giving the individuals the choice of if they want to use the drug or not but it will place them in jeopardy if something happens and they haven’t taken the drug. The article also points out that the FDA has approved the drug to reduce/manage fatigue.

I honestly do not think that pilots’ career will suffer without the use of “go pills.” I think that the military needs to come up with a plan to make sure that their pilots are getting enough rest and that they are not being over worked in the process. I believe that the amphetamines that the pilots are taking right now are not the best solution to the problem. The human body is unique and will react in different ways, and some consequences of using amphetamines are that they can actually impair a pilot’s perspective. For example, Canadian civilians were bombed by the U.S. planes because the pilots confused them as enemies, causing innocent lives. Another consequence is that the pilot can become addicted and over the drug, thus leading to other work related injuries or mishaps. The U.S. does not let regular civilian pilots use this drug and sometimes their fights are just as long. I do not think that anyone should be using drugs to keep them alert. I think that there are more natural strategies that the military can employ to reduce the use and effects of amphetamines, such as having different shifts, and ready substitutes to take over if and when a pilot is feeling fatigue. This way no one will necessarily be sleep deprived or feel the need to take amphetamines to keep then awake or to fall asleep. With the proper treatment (enough rest), the body will be able to properly function on its own, without the use of such possibly harmful drugs that can end someone’s career or life.

As learned in class this amphetamine is listed as a schedule 2 drug which means that it is legal, but the FDA has not stated that the drug can manage fatigue which it is mostly used for. I have learned that drugs can effect individuals differently which means that some may have positive reactions while others may not. Just being on the drug can make someone feel more awake, which may not be entirely attributed to the drug itself. Another drug is being used to make the pilots rest/sleep if they are having trouble also. If the U.S continues to use such drugs then they can become more common in other parts of the job soon, which can be a big problem in the future.