Syria's Fallen Regime Linked To Black Market Drug Trade

Latest stories

US, China, Russia gearing up for space wars to come

China has cause to be terrified of rebel-run Syria

Not quite peaceful protests in democratically enraged South Korea

The drug has the active ingredient fenethylline and was initially marketed for conditions including ADHD and the sleeping disorder narcolepsy . It had a similar use to some of the legally available stimulants we still use today, such as dexamphetamine .

Captagon has similar effects to amphetamines. It increases dopamine in the brain, leading to feelings of well-being, pleasure and euphoria. It also improves focus, concentration and stamina. But it has a lot of unwanted side effects, such as low-level psychosis.

The drug was originally sold mostly in the Middle East and parts of Europe. It was available over the counter (without a prescription) in Europe for a short time before it became prescription-only.

It was approved only briefly in the United States before becoming a controlled substance in the 1980s, but was still legal for the treatment of narcolepsy in many European countries until relatively recently.

According to the International Narcotics Control Board pharmaceutical manufacture of Captagon had stopped by 2009.

The illicit trade took over

The illegally manufactured version is usually referred to as captagon (with a small c). It is sometimes called“chemical courage” because it is thought to be used by soldiers in war-torn areas of the Middle East to help give them focus and energy.

For instance, it's been reportedly found on the bodies of Hamas soldiers during the conflict with Israel. Its manufacture is relatively straightforward and inexpensive , making it an obvious target for the black-market drug trade.

Black-market captagon is now nearly exclusively manufactured in Syria and surrounding countries such as Lebanon . It's mostly used in the Middle East, including recreationally in some Gulf states.

It is one of the most commonly used illicit drugs in Syria.