The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test and Takin' it to the Streets as Drug-influenced Literature

The use of what are now considered illegal drugs date back as far as 300 BC in many different places of the world. Historically, it has not only been criminals that used illegal drugs. Drugs were used for many things including medicinal purposes, spiritual enlightenment, rituals, as well as for recreation. They were also used by many different cultures, age groups, and social classes. There was a time when the only thing around to alleviate physical pain either from illness, injury, or even during the process of dying were some of these drugs. There were no illegal drugs in the United States until the mid-nineteenth century. This is an essay on 12 of these illegal drugs individually as reported on in the History Channels documentary “Hooked, Illegal Drugs and How They Got That Way”.

Yet, numerous Hippies associated themselves with drugs, such as; LSD and Marijuana, as these drugs were effortlessly assessable throughout that era. LSD effects the user and causes them to have hallucinations and effect the person’s mind space and perception of reality; triggering them to hear or see things that do not happen. “Drug experiences shaped many of their symbols and ideas.”(World Book Encyclopedia, 2004

Salvador Dali is credited with having said, “I don't do drugs. I am drugs.” Dali was not only a world famous artist known for painting, sculpting, and photography, for he was also a drug addict. Dali has bluntly described how he and other addicts feel while in the clutches of their addiction. It is said they feel as if their drug of choice has completely taken over their life, and they lose their identity. Sometimes however, the drug addict does not think that losing themselves is bad thing, they see it as them being in a better world mentally, than where they are physically in this world. So they do not fight the identity loss, but they embrace it, for that is why they do the drugs, to escape. Dali used drugs because he thought that they enhanced

Drug abuse is already is a nationwide epidemic as it is but opioids abuse involves young adults and artist. The author Wade Berrettini provides examples and discusses the concern of famous individuals who have abused opioids and had lead to deaths. He presents a case of Prince and Philip Seymour Hoffman, died in the recent past of opioid overdoses, He defines the danger of opioids and types of medication that are under the opioids category. From reading the article, the author hopes to reach the minds of young artist and adults of those who are affected by this issues and hopefully spread awareness to help prevent this tragic. However, the author Wade Berettine his use of unsupported ethical, logos, pathos appeals doesn’t grab the attention of the reader to

Drugs greatly deepened the willingness and desire to love one another and satisfy oneself. Drug use was very prevalent in the 1960’s and the main reason was the counterculture. Drugs were promoted through many of the admired musical groups whom were the heads of the counterculture revolution. As a result many of their fans got addicted to drug use and influenced society in an altered drug state. The counterculture was founded by personal satisfaction and the main source of satisfaction was drugs. Drugs negatively affected the social revolution because it instilled complacency and a lack of desire to impact society within the members of the movement. Without the drug abuses, society would look much different today and the War on Drugs would not have affected as many people as it has throughout the history of the United

In the 1960s, drug culture was popularized through music and mass media, in our current society we still find this relevant. Although we are more knowledgeable about drugs and alcohol, “an estimated 208 million people internationally consume illegal drugs.” The question is why do we conform to a society that is dependent on such substances? Perhaps drug culture is still present due to the references we witness on a daily basis. Witnessing this has resulted in drugs being a constant norm in society, the recently published novel, The Other Wes Moore; addresses drug culture.

During the 1960’s drugs became a symbol of “youthful rebellion, social upheaval, and political dissent”, the government quickly stepped into action and by June 1971, President Nixon declared a “war on drugs”. The size and presence of federal drug control agencies and drastic measures such as mandatory sentencing and no-knock warrants. Marijuana was placed under the most restrictive category of drugs and the war on drugs was underway (A Brief History of the Drug War, Bureau of Justice Statistics).

Although the English word “drug” was only coined in the early 1300’s, humans have been partaking in the recreational use of substances since prehistoric times. Hallucinogens, alcohol, and opium existed before 6,000 BC; alcohol and tobacco use were common in the 1600’s ; and cocaine, LSD, marijuana, and heroin use rampaged in the last century despite harsh laws put in place.

Introduction - Use of psychoactive substances for recreational purposes is not a radically new social issue. In fact, history tells us that almost every society had their own pharmacopeia of herbs, potions, and substances that not only contributed to healing, but also allowed the user to escape reality (Schules 1992, 4-5). However, it is the contemporary use of psychoactive drugs purchased through illicit or illegal channels and used by persons neither prescribed nor in quantities larger than necessary that defines modern drug abuse (Robins 2006). Prior to World War I, substances like morphine, heroin, and cocaine were available in the major American cities, particularly those with active international ports. For instance, when Chinese immigrants were first imported to work in the mines and railroads during the early 1800s, they brought opium to America. It was the leisure class, who began to experiment with this drug, and, as in Europe, many major U.S. cities had so-called opium dens. In addition, there were a substantial number of "society women" who ended up addicted because their doctor prescribed this drug to deal with female histrionics or to "cure" an excessive sexual appetite (Johnson 2002). Within major cities, this problem began to spill over into other groups: prostitutes, child laborers, orphans, and even men and women of lower social classes seeking to escape the harshness of their lives (Courtwright 2002, 3-19). Between the widespread use and general

Beginning with the late 1960’s counterculture in San Francisco, music and drugs will forever be inter-linked. Hippie bands such as the Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers, and Phish are associated with marijuana, mushrooms, and LSD. Modern electronic “rave” , or club music is associated with MDMA or Ecstasy. When one thinks of rock and roll, sex and drugs immediately come to mind. While the use of drugs is not essential for the creation or performance of all new music, it was certainly in important factor for the counterculture music of the late 1960’s. While some of the most important and influential music was made with the help of psychoactive drugs, it was often to the detriment of the artist. Janis

In Adam Barton’s film, The Stoned Ages (2011), researches the historical use of drugs and the institutional response upon the use of drugs by the masses. The Stoned Ages (2011) exposes an overwhelming discovery of drug use by people of ancient times and a connection of persistent patterns world-wide. Human beings have been in pursuit of expanding psychological capabilities from the beginning of human evolution (Barton, 2011). Social advancements depicted in The Stone Ages (2011), have derived from the use substances such as psychedelic mushrooms, during ancient rituals; permitting individuals to communicate with sacred Gods. Barton (2011) also discovers the use of drugs among Ancient Greek politicians as well, illustrating the wide use of drugs among people around the world and therefore theorizing the concept of drug use as an element of human behavior (Barton, 2011). According to Marc-Antoine Crocq’s (2007) research article summarizing the existence of drug use throughout the history of human-kind; “Schematically, psychoactive substances have been used (1) in religious ceremonies by priests; (ii) for medicinal purposes; or (iii) massively, as staple commodities, by large segments of the population in a socially approved way” (Crocq, 2007). Explained in Barton’s (2011) documentary however, the use of drugs had dire consequences caused by elitists’ hunger for power; Christians forbade the use of drugs with severe tactics of enforcement and lethally persecuting those who

If my art placed a spot on the timeline, it would have to bounce between the 1920's time of prohibition and the 70’s where recreational drugs became prominent. An encouraged rebellious response would be in the favor of a once-hidden alcohol loving society/community in the 1920's because, being under the influence was banned through alcohol. My art would fit right in an underground speak easy. My art would also be expected in the 1970's, where being under the influence was celebrated, shared and emphasized in music and art. Notably, my series could go along with the rest of the artwork that was being produced within the Funk Art movement, where psychedelic art was being created as a response to

Since “Hotel California” debuted in the seventies, one can understand why the topic would be Californian drug-using lifestyle. “The scare tactics of the 1960s gave way to the contradictory messages of the late '70s and early '80s. Drugs became glamorous, without becoming better understood”

The so-called “War on Drugs,” as declared by the Nixon administration in the signing of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, marked the beginning of the current era of mandatory minimum sentencing, racism, privatized prisons, and a powerful constituency that profits as a result of the prohibition of drugs. Psychoactive substances have been apart of the human experience as long as humans have walked the earth. There is little hope that drug production will ever be curtailed, so long as there is a demand; a demand that has remained steady even though it has been forty years since the beginning of said war. As Judge James P. Gray from the Superior Court of Orange County has so plainly put it: “Where did this policy

“I’m in love with the coco” (a song depicting a love for cocaine song by O.T. Genasis), just one of the most recent songs to have explicit usage of drugs. Referring to drug usage and sales is a popular trend in today 's hip-hop and rap lyrics. As a society where do we draw the line with censorship of this material? Not only are the lyrics being said, but the drug usage is also being portrayed in the music videos; all the way from marijuana usage to cocaine and popping pills. There 's no doubt that this type of music has a negative effect on today 's youth, but by censoring, this variety of music are we in effect censoring the culture and reality that sings it.