Pervitin in Nazi Germany

Pervitin can arguably be regarded as the most emblematic drug of Nazi Germany. At times hailed as a 'miracle cure', at others denounced as a harmful narcotic, this medicine - newly developed in 1937 - caused a sensation and was received and used in a wide variety of ways within Nazi Germany. In 1939, for example, Pervitin was made available only on prescription, and in 1941 it was brought under the narcotics regulations of the Opium Act. However, just how controversial these decisions were is already evident from the aforementioned dispute over the interpretative authority regarding Pervitin. Consequently, the strict implementation of the increasing regulations appears questionable.