Dexedrine, the “go-pill” urged upon American military pilots and blamed for contributing to the April 17 “friendly fire” deaths of four Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, is one of several controlled substances specifically cited as a hazard in federal regulations and transportation industry drug-screening manuals.
The drug is a controlled substance in the United States and is banned for use by commercial drivers and pilots in applicable federal regulations governing drug use.
Fifteen Canadian soldiers were practicing anti-tank attacks with live ammunition at a former al-Qaida training camp near Kandahar on the night of April 17. According to the Air Force report, Majs. Harry Schmidt and William Umbach were flying F-16s toward their base after six hours of an uneventful mission when they spotted gunfire on the ground and reported it to flight controllers. One of the pilots requested permission to fire, but was told to wait. Seconds later, Schmidt reported surface-to-air fire and advised the flight controllers that he was going to “roll in,” or attack the shooters.
Umbach confirmed the sighting, adding, according to the report, “I’ve got some men on a road, and it looks like a piece of artillery firing at us.” The bomb released by Schmidt landed a few feet from a Canadian machine gun crew, killing Sgt. Marc Leger, Cpl. Ainsworth Dyer, Pvt. Richard Green and Pvt. Nathan Smith immediately.
After the bomb’s detonation, Schmidt reportedly asked the controllers to confirm that his targets were shooting at them. The controller then advised the pilots that “friendlies” could be in the vicinity, and the pilots were ordered to return to base.
Air Force spokeswoman Lt. Jennifer Ferrau told the Associated Press that the Dexedrine pills are used as a “fatigue management tool” to help pilots stay alert through long missions. But, contrary to claims made by the attorney for one of the pilots involved in the April 17 incident, she said that use of the pills is voluntary, and that their effects have been thoroughly tested.
David Beck, attorney for Umbach, who, along with Schmidt, is under investigation for the accidental killing of the Canadians, charged on Thursday that the so-called “go-pills” were not safe for use by operators of “heavy machinery” and were not voluntary but forced on the pilots.
A popular home health website, MyWebMD.com advises users of Dextroamphetamine, more commonly known as Dexedrine, to “use caution when driving, operating machinery or performing other hazardous activities. Amphetamine-dextroamphetamine may cause dizziness, blurred vision or restlessness, and it may hide the symptoms of extreme tiredness.” The site goes on to describe the drug as “habit-forming” when used for long periods.
Narconon of Southern California lists the following side effects for Dexedrine:
- addiction
- agitation/irritability
- insomnia
- dry mouth
- headache
- nausea
- weight loss
- hallucinations
- liver irritation/toxicity
- increased heart rate
- tics
- Tourette’s syndrome
- sexual difficulties
- behavior disturbance
- elevation of blood pressure
- over stimulation
- restlessness
- dizziness
- euphoria
- headache
- exacerbation of motor skills
- diarrhea
- constipation
The perennial best-selling reference book, “The Pill Book,” echoes the list of side effects above and refers to the drug as “highly addictive,” citing panic and psychotic episodes as potential results of overdose. Air Force pilots are allowed to self-medicate themselves with Dexedrine.
The National Institutes of Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health, goes so far as to name dextroamphetamine on a list of “certain prescription drugs that are more commonly associated with abuse and criminal activity.”
More puzzling than this is the fact that the Air Force encourages the use of amphetamines by its pilots in apparent contravention of federal regulation: 49 CFR 40.85: Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Programs. Those procedures specifically list amphetamines of all types as targets of drug-testing programs. Federal regulations prohibiting the use of amphetamines cover air-traffic controllers, pilots, commercial truck drivers and commercial carrier operators, operators of railroad engines and equipment, and many other occupations.
Beck, in an interview with the Associated Press, promised to present his evidence on Dexedrine at a Jan. 13 hearing that will consider possible court-martial charges against Umbach and Schmidt for the April incident. Charges could include involuntary manslaughter, and conviction could result in up to 64 years of imprisonment for each man. Lt. General Bruce Carlson, commander of the 8th Air Force, headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City, La., will review the recommendations from the hearing and make the final decision on whether or not to convene a court martial.
Representatives of the Air Force did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Tony Hays is a freelance journalist who publishes frequently on topics related to the Middle East and the war on terror. He’s just returned from an assignment in the Mediterranean and Horn of Africa regions.
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