Global Isolation of Syria’s President Comes to an End as Arab League Reinstates Syria as Member
After years of isolation, Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad is once again a member of the Arab League. With this reinstatement, discussions on the trade of Captagon pills have taken center stage once again. Captagon is a highly addictive amphetamine-type drug produced mainly in Syria and widely smuggled across West Asia. Several reports over the years have claimed that sales of the drug, estimated to be worth several billion dollars a year, have profited al-Assad, his associates, and his family. The pills have become a financial lifeline for them as Syria continues to struggle due to its economic crisis since the outbreak of the 2011 civil war. Al-Assad has denied these allegations.
Syria Agrees to Cooperate with Jordan and Iraq to Curtail Smuggling
In a meeting of Arab foreign ministers that took place on May 1, Damascus agreed to cooperate with Jordan and Iraq in a bid to curtail the smuggling and identify the spots where the drug is produced. Following the meeting, last week, a high-profile Syrian drug smuggler was killed in an air strike, which is believed to be conducted by Jordan in southern Syria.
Captagon: A Counterfeit Version of a Medicine with the Same Brand Name
The currently prominently used Captagon is actually a counterfeit version of a medicine with the same brand name which was first produced in the 1960s by the German company Degussa Pharma Gruppe. They were manufactured to help treat attention deficit disorders, narcolepsy, and other conditions. The original Captagon contained fenetylline, a synthetic drug of the phenethylamine family to which amphetamine also belongs. It was commercially sold in several countries until the 1980s and was banned due to fears of its highly addictive nature.
What Do Amphetamine-Based Drugs Do?
Captagon pills, like other amphetamine-based drugs, stimulate the central nervous system, providing “a boost of energy, enhance someone’s focus, let someone stay awake for longer periods of time, and produce a feeling of euphoria.” They, however, don’t help someone gain “superhuman alertness, bravery, strength, or pain resistance” — a person consuming any amphetamine-based drug might feel some sort of placebo effect though, which could lead to erratic behaviors.
Side Effects of Amphetamines
Consumption of amphetamines can cause loss of appetite and weight, heart problems such as fast heart rate, irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, and heart attack, which can lead to death. They can also cause high body temperature, skin flushing, memory loss, problems thinking clearly, and stroke.
Militaries Around the World and Their Use of Amphetamines
Although amphetamine was discovered in 1910 and chemically synthesized in 1927, its craze among militaries reached a crescendo during World War II. While Nazi Germany supplied Pervitin, a methamphetamine (now known as crystal meth) to its soldiers, the Allied forces gave their troops Benzedrine, which was amphetamine sulfate. They both helped the consumers stay awake and alert. Reports suggest that Nazi Germany provided a staggering 35 million Pervitin between April and July 1940. The drug was also a significant part of their Blitzkrieg strategy, which involved carrying out a swift attack on the enemy and relentlessly pushing ahead with tank troops, day and night.
