Article - Drug Prohibition: A Perverted Instinct?

[phase_dancer]

This is an interesting (to say the least) perspective on prohibition.

Drug Prohibition: A Perverted Instinct?

by Peter Webster mail: [email protected]

review editor: International Journal of Drug Policy

copyright 1999 IJDP

Abstract:

Although many comparable collective irrationalities and social pathologies were long ago laid to rest through the influence of our modern age of science and reason, Drug Prohibition persists, and even flourishes in our time as one of the great continuing instances of crowd-madness so characteristic of the pre-scientific age. In the past few years many writers and researchers have attempted to explain Prohibition’s great hold on us, but none of the resulting hypotheses or theories seem sufficient to the task. With the view that a more radical and fundamental theory of Prohibition’s facilitating collective psychology is needed I present the following ideas, more as an exploration of possibilities and encouragement to others to augment their own thinking than a suggestion that the definitive key to the phenomenon has been found.

Thanks to the Chief


Full Article

 

[aesops]

Despite a tendency to overwrite, he presents his argument pretty clearly and there are some interesting sources cited too. Thanks for the link.

 

[Leprechaun]

Sounds like a philosophy paper. Well written with strong argument. Great to use in arguing the validity of drug usage. I really enjoyed reading it.

Hopefully the drug war will never reach Genocide proportions. Although in the US its close. If you have a record of using drugs(even if caught through drug testing) say goodbye to your career and education...

Is Prohibition it worth... Most definetly not.

 

[satricion]

I have to say that I'm not a great fan of this article.

The idea of drug use as bad is, I feel, a part of capitalist society and the protestant ethic that has evolved with it. The dominant ideology of capitalism is that to be a worth while person you must work, and devote your life to work. This stems from the Protestant idea that by working in your chosen profession you are serving God, and that to devote time to anything other than working and praying is bad. This grew along with a growing need for the ruling class to control the lives of their workers, which extends to stopping them from drinking or taking drugs.

Take a look at the history of American attitudes to alcohol. There was a time when drinking was, in and of itself a political act. The bosses tried to stop it and the workers drank because it was an act of solidarity in defiance of the orders of their bosses. Even the article that phase_dancer linked to points out...weed was made illegal because the Mexican farm workers used it, and coke because the black slaves (who worked) used it. In a society where to exist you must work, drug use is condemned.

These ideas still exist. How many times do you hear people tell others who live a different lifestyle to "get a job you loser"?

The idea that displaced instincts will "pop up" as other behaviours doesn't have a lot of credibility...I've never encountered anything in my years as a psychology and sociology student that's even presented this idea, and it's really an impossible theory to prove or disprove. This isn't an explanation for behaviour that you can test, and it doesn't strike me as a very effective one.

Drug use wasn't always condemned. I really believe that drug use as deviant (and pathological) behaviour is a social construction upheld by a dominant ideology that emphasises working and conforming to the norm. The social evolution of attitudes to drugs and drinking is an interesting topic if anyone's interested in that sort of thing...any sociology nerds here (like myself) should totally dig it.

 

[res]

Well said satricion, I usually wouldnt understand a word of whats going on here but your description of the attitudes of society have made me think a lot deeper about the issue.

I'd be interested to read anything you have to say

 

[Leprechaun]

These ideas still exist. How many times do you hear people tell others who live a different lifestyle to "get a job you loser"?

Unless ofcourse you have good/supportive friends, who will help you get a job.

The problem with American culture is that its not communal like Europes.