[Paleopsych] addiction

[Werbos, Dr. Paul J.]

At 02:47 PM 8/22/2004 -0700, Michael Christopher wrote:

> >>In considering US culture and rules... the
>experience of well-meaning disempowered parents living
>in the ghetto... seeing their children's potential
>ripped away by criminals they are helpless to fight,
>right in front of their front door... demands
>attention here and now more than the experience of the
>anthropologist in the rain forest. At least so far as
>cocaine is concerned.<<
>
>-Not to mention the loss of life and potential from
>alcohol abuse and tobacco. But dealing with drugs by
>"getting tough" on dealers and users only adds a layer
>of confusion to what should be a health issue. Obesity
>kills, but we don't ban unhealthy foods, we try to
>deal with it through education and voluntary
>counselling. Cocaine is dangerous, but the drug war
>only leads users to steal to support an expensive
>habit and dealers to execute "street justice" against
>rivals. We need to start looking at addiction in all
>its facets, from obesity to alcohol/tobacco to
>cocaine, and find ways to treat addiction without
>resorting to expensive and futile "wars".

Sure. Let's first solve all addictive personality tendencies ad neuroses.

Like the folks who wanted to wait until all poverty and hunger was erased
from the world.. first things first... before allowing even three little 
ships to
go over the atlantic.

In the meantime...
to repeat..

The world cocaine system is a clear and present danger to
world security just as serious as Al Quieda. We cannot afford to wait for
the millennium before minimizing it.

There is no alcohol cartel of the same dimensions. To put it mildly.

But such reasoning applies only to those of us who must attempt to survive 
on earth.
In the Platonic world could it be different?








>An addiction is generally less harmful than the
>culture that goes with the illegality of the
>substance. When alcohol was banned by law, an
>underground trade developed, complete with gang wars
>and other baggage that made treating alcohol addiction
>as a health issue more difficult. We're better off
>with the 12 step approach, and we'll be even better
>off when new drugs are discovered to counter addiction
>without pain. That goes for cocaine as well.
>
>In our society, a mindset is emerging that is truly
>frightening, based on the idea that "something must be
>done, and no excess is too excessive in responding to
>evil." Emotional frustration is taking precedence over
>solid research and logical thinking. We will further
>complicate already difficult problems by engaging in
>such "good vs. evil" polarization. We did it with
>alcohol prohibition, and we know where that led. We
>must repeat history, perhaps, to learn what works and
>what does not.
>
>Michael
>
>
>
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