Regarding methamphetamine use in the oil patch, this
is not a new issue (HCN, 10/3/05: Methamphetamine fuels the West’s
oil and gas boom). “White crosses” and other stimulants were easy
to obtain in Gillette, Wyo., in 1974, when I was working as a
roughneck in the Powder River Basin. Drill rigs go 24-7, and
graveyard was a tough shift. We all stayed alert using those drugs,
but we were careful and very focused on the job — it was too
dangerous not to be.
I’d also like to note that my
late father, S.K. Felton, was a pilot and flew B-29 bombers in WW
II and cargo planes in Korea. In both wars, pilots and crew were
given amphetamines by their commanding officers.
Like all
drugs, when used correctly they serve a valuable purpose. I
don’t know what it’s like now, 30 years later, in the
oil patch, but in the mid-’70s, most everyone used, but no
one abused on the job.
Sam
Felton
Tucson, Arizona
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Amphetamines are nothing new.
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