Tag: Benzedrine

In the 1930s, before modern antidepressants were developed, amphetamines were widely used to treat depression, offering what was then considered an effective way to elevate mood and increase energy. This stimulant, marketed under brand names like Benzedrine, became an early pharmacological approach to managing psychiatric conditions.

During World War II, governments supplied soldiers with amphetamines like Benzedrine to keep them alert and combat fatigue. These early versions were the original 'stay awake tablets', powerful and addictive stimulants with significant risks that led to later regulation.

During World War II, Axis forces distributed more than 35 million tablets of the methamphetamine Pervitin to soldiers for their 1940 invasion of France alone. This intense demand created a pharmacological arms race, raising the critical question: what were the pills for stay awake in ww2 and what were their effects?.