According to the Washington Examiner, the US Department of Veterans Affairs gave 69 vet heroin addicts steady quantities of morphine, then suddenly cut back quantities, to study if they would become “hyperactive.” The publication claimed that the “secretive experiment” had cost “$7.8 million,” adding that they based their statements on documents obtained from the “Examiner Show,” confirming the allegation.

The article also mentioned a 10 year old study recently released as a result of the Freedom of Information Act that offered the fullest documentation of “widespread government trials that gave hard-core drugs to addicts.” This particular study took place during the mid 90’s and studied 787 drug addicted vets, whom suffered a range of effects, as part of the study, from minor things like constipation all the way through conditions like heart tremors. The article mentioned that what has happened to participants since remains unclear.

The Washington Examiner also mentioned that the VA and NIDA were aware that the border-line, unethical studies were taking place and refrained from exposing them. The article also cited the logic some maintain in arguing that these human subject tests of these kinds are crucial, because they remain the only real way to measure the long-term effects of drug abuse.

As a matter of fact, rom Dr. Petros Levounis, who is the director of the Addiction Institute of New York, told the Washington Examiner: “It’s very, very good for us to think about these matters. But really, the truth of the matter is that these patients, in general, would continue to use these drugs. By bringing them into a hospital, we’re increasing the odds that they will engage in treatment.”

Click here, Full Article, for the full details of the studies and the entire article in its entirety.