Eskatrol was an amphetamine weight loss agent which was removed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1981 after its manufacturer,[1] SmithKline & French (SKF),[2] failed to prove the therapeutic effectiveness (Emax) of the medication.
In August 1970, the FDA sought to limit the use of stimulants by calling for changes in labeling which decreased the number of allowable claims and intensified the warnings about possible hazards.
The FDA Commissioner, Charles C. Edwards, criticized the pharmaceutical industry for not helping to prevent the drug abuse of amphetamines.
Thomas M. Rauch, president of SKF Laboratories, responded that his company had long promoted stricter abuse legislation and tighter controls on production and distribution.
[4] Jimmy Buffett references Eskatrol in his song "Fool Button," stating that mixing it with a bottle of rum will enable one to act foolishly to have a good time.