Our national drug is alcohol. We tend to regard the use of any other drug with special horror. (p. 201)
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Alcohol is accepted socially while other drugs are feared. This highlights cultural hypocrisy regarding substance use.
- In plain terms
- Society accepts alcohol but judges other drugs harshly.
- What can you take from it?
- Cultural norms define acceptable drug use.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why is alcohol more accepted than other drugs?
- How does law shape perception?
Another view
Different substances do pose different risks regardless of legality.
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