Combining a unique visual approach with carefully constructed narrative
text, this entry in the Big Idea series provides a survey of the history
of drug use, a review of the impact of the War on Drugs, an appraisal of
the effects of legal versus illegal drugs, and an evaluation of the
impact of the decriminalization of drugs.
According to archaeological and historical records, ethanol in the form
of beer in Sumer and wine in Egypt were first used recreationally at
least thirteen thousand years ago, while psychotropic drugs have been
used for thousands of years, mainly for religious purposes. This book
sets out the history of the use of drugs since the Neolithic age, and
explores the evolution of recreational drug use from the mid-eighteenth
century on. It considers the danger and social impact of heavy use of
legal alcohol or nicotine in contrast to the hazards to health and
society associated with illegal drugs. It evaluates the effects of the
fifty-year global War on Drugs on the criminal production and
trafficking of drugs on the black market and on the abuse, health, and
imprisonment of end users. Finally, it argues for the decriminalization
of all drugs and the state regulation of the drug market, with suitable
controls and regulation for each drug type.
