Drug Use among Vietnam War Servicemen

The Vietnam War had profound effects on the mental health of the veterans, often times leading to servicemen resorting to measures such as drug use to counter the lasting effects of the Vietnam War on the mind.

Hence, drug use, especially heroine, spiked among servicemen during the Vietnam War. Statistics show that 1 in 5 Vietnam War servicemen were addicted to heroin at some point during their tour. The requirement of the troops in stressful combat situations during the war was a major factor for the drug use among the servicemen. Vietnam war veterans who applied for treatment of heroin addiction were surveyed and it was found that many war veterans suggested that their drug use was affected by the war.

Heroine is a harmful drug that can cause many long-term and short-term health impacts. Short-term health impact may include a dry mouth, warm flushing of the skin, heavy feeling in the arms and legs, nausea and vomiting, severe itching, clouded mental functioning and a drifting state of consciousness. Continuing use of the drug may cause insomnia, collapsed veins (if injected), damaged tissue inside the nose (if snorted), infection of the heart lining and the valves, abscesses, constipation and stomach cramping, liver and kidney disease, lung complications and mental disorders. It was reported that 25,900 servicemen continued to use drugs even after treatment for heroin addiction. Furthermore, an overdose on the drug could cause hypoxia, a decrease in the amount of oxygen that reached the brain which could have long-term side effects, or even death. These side effects of drugs could cause issues in getting jobs and social integration post-war leading to social and economic problems.

It has also been reported that soldiers with dishonorable discharges due to drug addiction had difficulty finding other jobs. Even those who had improved after treatment for heroin addiction continued to struggle with heroin addiction.

The overwhelming effects of Vietnam War on the mental health of the servicemen frequently led to the abuse of drugs among the servicemen. This abuse of drugs furthermore manifested in the form of a further decline in physical and mental health among the servicemen that has gone unnoticed.