Cultural Factors in the Control, Prevention, and Treatment of Illicit Drug Use

Abstract

Examines cultural and historical factors in the production, commerce, use, and control of psychoactive substances. (from the chapter) drug-alcohol production and commerce in prehistoric and historical contexts [the pre-Columbian era, the post-Columbian era] / substance use in cultural context [culturally prescribed substance use; culturally permitted substance use (individual choice); illegal, illicit, or taboo substance use; changes over time] / modes of control over drug production, commerce, and use [religious sanctions, legal sanctions, informal social sanctions] / drug subcultures and the drug trade [the outlaw producer, the outlaw commercial agent, outlaw support staff, the addict: outlaw subculture or mainstream] / interethnic differences within the nation-state [minority drug producers, merchants, and support staff; advantages of illegal/illicit drug trade for minority communities; getting ethnic minorities to join the cultural mainstream] / drug control among cultures and nation-states [forces against cooperation among cultures, strategies to elicit international cultural cooperation and drug control] (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2003 APA, all rights reserved)