Go and no-go pills
In the U.S. military, go pills and no-go pills refers to stimulant medications meant to increase wakefulness and hypnotic medications taken to ensure adequate rest in preparation for upcoming tasks. As of November 2012, medications approved as no-go pills by the U.S. Air Force for aircrew and AFSOC[1] forces include:
- Temazepam (Restoril), with a 12-hour restriction on subsequent flight operation
- Zaleplon (Sonata), with a 4-hour restriction on subsequent flight operation
- Zolpidem (Ambien), with a 6-hour restriction on subsequent flight operation
Go pill
[edit]In contrast to the sleeping agents, a go pill refers to a wakefulness-promoting agent used for fatigue management, especially in a military combat-readiness context; this is contrasted with a no-go pill, which is used to promote sleep in support of combat operations. A go pill generally contains one of the following drugs:
- Amphetamine (methamphetamine having been used historically, such as during the Second World War), which is a strong psychostimulant drug; no longer approved officially for use by the U.S. Air Force,[2] possibly due to safety concerns brought up in the wake of incidents like the Tarnak Farm incident.[3]
- Modafinil, a wakefulness-promoting drug (or eugeroic)[4][5]
References
[edit]- ^ Air Force Special Operations Command Instruction 48-101 Archived June 11, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command, November 30, 2012.
- ^ Air Force Special Operations Command Instruction 48–101 Archived June 11, 2014, at the Wayback Machine (sects. 1.7.4), U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command, November 30, 2012.
- ^ Bonne, Jon (Jan 13, 2006). "'Go pills': A war on drugs?". NBC News. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ^ Tech. Sgt. J.C. Woodring (30 April 2004). "Air Force scientists battle aviator fatigue". www.af.mil. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
- ^ Emonson DL, Vanderbeek RD (1995). "The use of amphetamines in U.S. Air Force tactical operations during Desert Shield and Storm". Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine. 66 (3): 260–3. PMID 7661838.