drug use in the united states during the 1970's was conditioned on
significant societal changes.  those changes manifested themselves
beginning in the '60's with the deterioration of the social consensus
that had been in place for the previous half century. elites who embodied
the values characterizing that consensus were likewise discredited.
 
the social/cultural changes which followed centered around a loosening of
the previous social controls and and emphasis on individual -- as opposed
to collective -- concerns. the initial goal was to discover new and more
harmonious methods of socal organization.
 
in this atmosphere, the popularity of drug taking flourished.
 
by the latter part of the 1970's, the phenomenon had transformed into
self-centered individualism, a trend which carried over into the
aggressive materialism of the 1980's.
 
because the basic philosohical issues raised in the '60's were not
adequately addressed, the use of drugs in the 1990's continued and
increased, reaching especially  into younger and younger age groups and
was associated with more egregious forms of social disorganization.
 
by the 2020's, the situation had greatly deteriorated.  primarily due to
new and adapted technologies, the creation of novel psychoactive drugs had
accelerated and proliferated in the decade following the turn of the century.
 
although society had suffered a number of major upheavals, as well as
chronic and increasingly serious forms of social disorganization, nothing
in the way of new social paradigms had emerged.
 
an entire underclass had developed largely due to the impairments
and dislocations caused by drug abuse. this group had become increasingly
isolated and vicious in response to not only the effects of the drugs,
but because of the decision made by other segments of society to withdraw
all social services and other supports.
 
nonetheless, considerable public resources were still allocated to
the punishment of individuals suspected of drug manufacture and
trafficking.  however, the large alcoholic beverage and tobacco combines
continued to receive government subsidies and no one had yet been able to
develop a successful program to reverse  the high numbers of overdoses
and brain damaged invalids resulting from rampant use of the new and
constantly changing technodrugs by young people.
 
 
michael bergman