World armies still use psychotropic drugs to make fearless machines of their soldiers

It is an open secret that US servicemen were taking pills against fear during military actions in Iraq. The ephedrine-based psychotropic medications reduce pain and stress reactions, although they also have a side effect – sudden attacks of anger and sadism. The pills generated quite a number of international scandals in the world. Two F-16 pilots bombed a column of Canadian military men by mistake in April 2002 in Kandahar. It was later determined that the two pilots were under the influence of amphetamine stimulants which they had taken prior to the task. A fearless soldier is definitely a plus, although anti-fear pills do not make invincible soldiers.

Photo: World armies still use psychotropic drugs to make fearless machines of their soldiers

Germany was the first country to step on the path of chemical wars. Those soldiers and officers returning from the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-1871 developed a great addiction to morphine. The majority of them were making injections of morphine to ease the hardship of their military service. The war became a hazy experience for them, which is a positive factor per se. However, many of them could not quite morphine injections afterwards.

There are numerous legends about the narcotic additions of Nazi soldiers during WWII. German soldiers never refused an ephedrine-based psychostimulant known as pervitine. They did not sleep and had no fear at all under the influence of the drug. Hitler was addicted to cocaine, whereas SS was distributing narcotics for superior initiations. SS laboratories were making a variety of modifications of psychotropic drugs to control the impulses of human will and give immense strength to people.

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The French army used psychotropic drugs for its soldiers too. The French military originally discovered those drugs during tribal wars on the African continent. They particularly found that the Africans were eating the nuts of Cola acuminate herbs. In addition to its nutritional qualities, the nuts could make a human being incredibly strong and full of energy. The chemical analysis of the cola nuts revealed that they contained 2.5 percent of caffeine and a unique complex of vitamins, microelements and nutrients. The French subsequently used the cola nut extraction to make invigorating crackers for the military. As a result, a battalion of French soldiers easily marched 55 kilometers under the scorching African sun. Afterwards, the extraction was used in the production of chocolate – this product is still used in the rations of practically all armies of the world.

Vodka and spirit have always been the major stimulant and stress reliever in the Russian army. It was widely used during WWII to overcome pain shocks and raise the soldiers’ morale. Russian servicemen also mixed spirit with cocaine – the beverage was known as the trench cocktail. The cocktail was also used in surgery as an anesthetic agent.

Great Britain purchased 24,000 capsules of provigil – a psychostimulant known for its contradictory reputation. The drug is licensed for use in Britain and the United States only in cases of severe psychoneurological disturbances linked with pathological daytime somnolency.

The Britons believe that the drug can be used to keep pilots and other servicemen of special units in a state of consciousness for long operations that last for more than 48 hours. Provigil can cause increased nervousness, irritation, dizziness and headache. It may also develop intestinal disorders, high arterial blood pressure and arrhythmia.

The Chinese were the first to discover ephedrine – they described its narcotic qualities over 5,000 years ago. Regular intakes of psychostimulants result in psychic disorders which combine extreme suspiciousness, delusional perception of the world, hallucinations and the loss of the sense of reality.