Saudi Gazette To cover seemingly, long endless road trips, truck drivers in the Kingdom use amphetamines. Commonly known as Captagon, it is illegal in the country, but is widely available due to its sudden popularity in recent years. Captagon is a drug which keeps one awake for long hours. It is a powerful stimulant that is made up of a member of the family of amphetamines, namely fenethylline. It is largely used by truck drivers, students and athletes. It helps boost energy, keeps one alert, and helps fight sleepiness and exhaustion. According to the International Narcotics Control Board, Captagon is the primary amphetamine-type stimulant consumed in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and other Gulf countries. The United Nations says that illegal stockpiling and clandestine production of the drug has continued unabated ever since the 1980s, primarily in southern Europe and Turkey, for consumption in the Middle East. At a gas station on the freeway between Dammam and Jubail, a truck driver who referred to himself as M.R. told Al-Watan daily, “During peak business times, I have to drive for more than sixteen hours a day. I have been using Captagon for a long time and it helps me stay awake and fight off drowsiness, sleepiness, and boredom. Captagon enables me to drive huge distances and go for hours and sometimes even a day or two without sleep. Captagon is known as the friend of truck drivers and we can buy it at certain gas stations or resting areas that are interspersed along the freeway.” The general supervisor of Al-Amal Mental Health Hospital Complex in Dammam, Dr. Muhammad Al-Zahrani, acknowledges that the use of Capatagon is common among truck drivers, however exact numbers are still unknown. “The police department transfers several cases to Al-Amal hospital to run blood tests that detect the presence of drugs. In the year 2010, we documented 319 cases of Captagon users, and its addiction amounted to 22 percent of all drug abuse cases that were treated in the hospital that year.” said Al-Zahrani. He further added, “The reasons for abuse of any drug differ from one individual to another. What makes Captagon attractive to its users is the increase in activity and energy levels. Some people use it to reduce feelings of fear and anxiety; others unfortunately get caught in this habit from a friend or a co-worker.” Prolonged abuse of this drug can lead to symptoms that are on the other side of the spectrum, such as severe depression, lack of energy, laziness, and excessive sleeping. Those who are unaware of the dangers of using these pills it also includes headaches, general aches and pains, irritability, extreme talkativeness, uncontrolled fidgeting, mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, tooth decay, tremors in the hands, dry mouth, nausea, difficulty urinating, dilatation of the pupils, high blood pressure, hallucinations, and seizures. However, overcoming the use of Captagon is possible through stages of treatment; “The first stage involves cutting off Captagon use, eliminating any remnant toxins from the body, and providing therapies that aid and support the physical body. The first stage can last for a month and the patient may experience withdrawal symptoms: headaches, general malaise, irritability, and inability to concentrate. The following stages involve psychological treatment, behavior modification, and workshops on acceptable social interaction,” said Al-Zahrani. To combat the abuse of Captagon, the director of the anti-drug department in the Eastern Province, Brig. Gen. Abdullah Al-Jameel calls for regular administration of blood tests for truck drivers. “The regular consumption of Catpagon among truck drivers has caused a large number of road accidents that has cost the lives of innocent people. Truck drivers should be mandated to perform blood tests at regular intervals to determine if they are using these poisons or not. The anti-drug department is doing its part in sending police officers on the road to perform instant blood tests on site. Our officers surprise these truck drivers, ask them to pull the truck to the side of the road, and perform the blood test. I do not encourage having a fixed checkpoint for the purpose of taking the blood test because the truck drivers will soon know which points to avoid and will continue in the hazardous use of Captagon. I advocate blood tests to be taken at random, unannounced points on the freeway, and at varying times of the month,” said Al-Jameel. __
