The Real Housewives of Amphetamines (Part 2)

What this episode covers

When the troops came home from World War II, they didn’t just bring back stories—they brought back a taste for amphetamines. In this episode, we trace how wartime “pep pills” flooded postwar America—this time marketed at women. In this episode, we explore how “pep pills” promised energy, slim figures, and a cure for the quiet desperation of domestic life. From the pharmacy counter to pop culture, discover how a generation of housewives was sold a chemical solution for an impossible ideal.Sources:University of Wisconsin-Madison advertisement catalogNicholas Rassmussen: America’s First Amphetamine EpidemicPBS: Mrs. America: Women’s Roles in the 1950sSmithsonian Magazine: A Speedy History of America’s Addiction to Amphetamine

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Pills and Power?

This episode is 46 minutes long.

When was this Pills and Power episode published?

This episode was published on July 2, 2025.

What is this episode about?

When the troops came home from World War II, they didn’t just bring back stories—they brought back a taste for amphetamines. In this episode, we trace how wartime “pep pills” flooded postwar America—this time marketed at women. In this episode, we...

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