Perhaps, the most important lesson that we should have learned from the history of drug use is that ban on drugs decreases their usage. A common misunderstanding regarding the prohibition of alcohol is that it increased alcohol use instead of leading to its decline (Goode, 2015). However, evidence shows that alcohol use reduced dramatically in the years before the prohibition and reached 1.96 gallons; during prohibition, it decreased even further, reaching 0.90 gallons (Goode, 2015). When prohibition ended, the consumption of alcohol began to rise gradually (Goode, 2015). This evidence demonstrates that making drugs illegal decreases their consumption. This is likely to happen because drugs become difficult to find and obtain, and drug users risk being punished for their use. Currently, the media sometimes appeals to people to oppose the legalization of drugs. For example, Rosenstein (2018) calls on the government to prohibit drugs because the rate of deaths from drug overdose increased from 2012 to 2016. If enacted, these measures are likely to lead to a decline in drug use, based on history.
Another lesson from history is that changing public attitudes toward drugs can lead to a decrease in drug use. Goode (2015) argues that before 1830, alcohol consumption was very high, and even children were allowed to treat alcohol. However, after Benjamin Rush, a physician, published his work explaining the negative effects of immoderate alcohol consumption, the temperance movement emerged, leading to a significant decrease in alcohol use (Goode, 2015). This example shows that healthcare professionals, as well as other prominent public figures, have the power of changing public attitudes toward drugs. The change in attitudes, in its turn, influences behaviors and can lead to a decrease in drug use.
Studying drug use trends is crucial to understanding cultural and historical changes in society because it shows public attitudes toward drug use over time and public responses to the rise or decline in drug use. Based on the evidence from the past, scholars can identify effective measures for reducing drug use rates and study the correlation between drug consumption and other social issues, such as crime rates.
References
Goode, E. (2015). Drugs in American society (9th ed.). McGraw Hill Education.
Rosenstein, R. J. (2018). Fight drug abuse, don’t subsidize it. The New York Times.