Loosening the Grip: A Handbook of Alcohol Information

by Jean Kinney

Points for Reflection Classifying psychoactive substances as either licit or illicit is not based exclusively or even primarily on their pharmacological properties. It is as much, if not more, a matter of class, race, and economic issues. During the course of your readings and study, consider several questions: If it were possible to erase all previous history and attitudes and start afresh, and you were asked to designate classes of drugs to be licit, which would you choose? What factors would you consider to be important in making these assignments? Which things would you see as important in defining harm? And harm to whom? Are there harms that are introduced or avoided by the legal or illicit status of a substance? To what extent can these be diminished? In which column would alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine be found, your licit or illicit list?

REFLECTION