VIETNAM

AND

DRUGS

By Luca and Giovanni

Essential QuestionWhy and when were drugs

consumed during the Vietnam War?

Let’s Start!

R AND R

Acronym for Rest and Recuperation. American soldiers in Vietnam were granted a one week off the front line after two weeks of intense combat sessions.

The R and R period was entirely dedicated to get distracted from the battlefield and relax.

During the R and R, many soldiers used to take drugs for various reasons.

How did the R and R affect drug consumption?

Due to the fact that the guerrilla war was subject to surprise attacks, soldiers in Vietnam took drugs in order to relax and get rid of adrenaline. A lot of soldiers fell in depression causing them to become subject to heroin abuses.

Why did they take them?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_2uZ2rdKq4

Other Reasons

What other reasons do you think they took drugs?

To temporarily think positiveTo prove new feelings and experiencesTo improve their military performancesFor funTo be sent home

MarijuanaHeroinCocaineMethamphetamine

What drugs did they take?

The use of Marijuana at that time was not completely illegal, it was used during the Vietnam war because it relaxes and calms you down. For this reason, it became the most common drug on the front line.

The biggest amount of soldiers smoked Marijuana to have fun during the R and R period.

Marijuana

This drugs has a powerful effect on the nervous system, after the injection the subject falls in trance and is not able to move or to think properly.

Since heroin is a very powerful drug you become addicted to it only after one injection, it’s very difficult to quit heroin because the body needs it.

Heroin

Cocaine and methamphetamine are considered hard drugs. They were used by soldiers in order to be always awake and reactive.

Cocaine and Meth

The American reaction was quite negative on the fact that soldiers used to take drugs. The majority of the population saw this fact as a national shame since that it was unacceptable that the government wasn’t doing enough to stop them.

AMERICAN

REACTION

What did America do to try to stop them?In 1971, President Nixon announced the formation of the Special Action for Drug Abuse Prevention.

During the late 1960’s, President Johnson, aware of Marijuana abuse in Vietnam, made the drug illegal in the US. This led American soldiers to consume heroin.

After the War• Drug addicted veterans had

to face a lot of problems when they went back home.

• They were not hired because of their addiction to drugs.

• Since drugs were illegal they feared very harsh punishments.