Citation

Nowlis HH. J. Soc. Iss. 1971; 27(3): 7-21.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1971, Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1540-4560.1971.tb00665.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Man has always used chemical substances to change mood, feeling, and perception; he probably always will. The substances used will depend upon the changes he desires or values and his perception of the effects of available substances in relation to those changes. Substances now widely used fall into three general categories: (a) Ups, (b) Downs, and (c) those which change the way one perceives one's self or one's physical and social environment. All drug use, legal or illegal, involves risk at some dosage level for some individuals under some circumstances; determination of what risks are to be tolerated for what benefits is clearly a value judgment. The important issue then becomes who shall make these value judgments and according to what system of values.

Language: en