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16 Works 171 Membros 1 Review

Obras por Virginia Berridge

Etiquetado

Conhecimento Comum

Data de nascimento
1946-04-25
Sexo
female

Membros

Críticas

Demons: Our Changing Attitudes to Alcohol, Tobacco & Drugs by Virginia Berridge (Oxford University Press, $29.95).

While British public health historian Virginia Berridge focuses mostly on the U.K., but her analysis of how booze, smokes and dope have been categorized and regulated is still of great interest.

For example, the use of all these substances was quite common throughout the 19th century (although generally “ladies” refrained); it wasn’t until the post-WWII era that things like drinking ages and prescription regulation came into being, mostly as a means of protecting the public.

While alcohol and tobacco have been treated as consumer products and regulated only in terms of minimum ages and licensed locations for consumption, other substances have been either medicalized—with strong prescription controls—or criminalized altogether.

This doesn’t always make sense, and Berridge points out that the 19th century opium dens caused far fewer social problems than those caused by public intoxication and driving under the influence. She also makes some interesting observations about the rise of binge drinking, particularly among teenagers (who are legally prohibited from purchasing alcohol, as if that ever stopped anyone), in the last several decades.

The major point in her comprehensive history is that our attitudes toward substances are subject to change over time; one need only look to the surging approval for legalizing marijuana to see evidence of this historical trend in action. In short, she notes, it’s public attitudes that drive regulation; her example of anti-smoking laws following public acceptance of the hazards of smoking is a good one, as are her citation of various prohibition attempts.

Another big issue is the amount of revenue generated, not simply from sales but from government taxes. It’s hard to imagine the various federal and state governments giving up what they earn from the various “sin taxes,” and more likely that substances in addition to alcohol and tobacco will be added to the list of legal and taxed vices.

Berridge uses plenty of story-telling skill in this history, which makes it both an enjoyable and an informative book.

Reviewed on Lit/Rant: www.litrant.tumblr.com.
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Assinalado
KelMunger | Sep 16, 2014 |

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Estatísticas

Obras
16
Membros
171
Popularidade
#124,899
Avaliação
4.2
Críticas
1
ISBN
49

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