Stimulants like amphetamines may look attractive to athletes for their ability to slow appetite and raise energy levels and mood.
Stricter limits would be established to slow production of the drug. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), over two billion units of amphetamine and methamphetamine were legally manufactured in the United States in 1970, enough for ten doses for every person in the United States at the time. In order to stop rising abuse, the amphetamines were changed to a Schedule II drug with passage of the CSA in 1970. were ending up in the illegal drug market. Senate testimony given in the late 60s in support of passage of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) reported that 50% of the amphetamines being produced annually in the U.S.
As massive prescription fraud and drug abuse mounted, calls for stricter legislation of amphetamines were becoming louder. A new method of using-injecting liquid methampetamine-gained popularity after doctors in San Francisco began prescribing the treatment for heroin addicts. In the 1960s the abuse of the drug became more widespread. Athletes used the stimulant to enhance performance, and the military continued its use through the Korean conflict and into Vietnam. The drug was being used by long-distance truckers, who dubbed the drug "West Coast turnaround" because of its ability to help them stay awake during long-haul and coast-to-coast runs. In the United States, amphetamines were prescribed for many reasons, from the treatment of depression to weight loss. It was manufactured as a Spansule, the first time-release capsule, which gradually released the drug over a period of time. In 1952, Smith, Kline and French introduced the stimulant Dexedrine (dextroamphetamine sulfate) for narcolepsy in the United States. Abuse of amphetamines became a widespread problem in Japan, until legislation known as the "Amphetamine Control Law" was passed in 1951. Beyond the front, civilians who worked in factories manufacturing goods for the war effort were also using the drug to boost productivity. By the late '30s, the drug was available in tablet form for the treatment of several neurological disorders, including narcolepsy (a sleeping disorder), Parkinson's disease, and minimal brain dysfunction (now called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD).ĭuring World War II, dextroamphetamines and methamphetamines were widely distributed among Allied, German, and Japanese soldiers to keep them awake and alert on the battlefield. However, they were not generally used until 1932, when pharmaceutical manufacturer Smith, Kline and French introduced Benzedrine, an over-the-counter inhaler for relieving nasal congestion. Because of their long-lasting and potent stimulant effects, they are also highly physically and psychologically addictive and have a high rate of abuse.Īmphetamines were first synthesized in 1887 by the German chemist L.
turnarounds, West Coast turnarounds, pep pillsĭRUG CLASSIFICATIONS: Schedule II, stimulantĭextroamphetamines are a part of the amphetamine class of drugs, central nervous system (CNS) stimulants that are used in the treatment of certain brain-based disorders. STREET NAMES: Speed, uppers, bennies, beans, dexies, black beauties, go pills, L.A. OFFICIAL NAMES: Dextroamphetamine, D-amphetamine, dextroamphetamine sulfate (Dexedrine)