[Note: This course brought about a telephone call from the White House
Office of National Drug Control Strategy. I was asked by a staff person
there "what was I trying to accomplish with this course?" They were
obviously very concerned that I was corrupting American college students
by teaching this material. I was also questioned about the use of
required text I edited entitled "Drugs: Should We Legalize,
Decriminalize, or Deregulate?" The staff person from this office who
called me wanted to "interview" me. I said "by all means." He never
called me back. If he had, I would have invited him to be a guest
lecturer in this class.--JAS]
Department of Justice, Law and Society
School of Public Affairs
The American University
Fall 1998
73.303.01 - DRUGS, ALCOHOL AND SOCIETY
Mondays and Thursdays, 12:45 P.M. to 2:00 P.M.
Ward 2
Faculty: Dr. Jeffrey A. Schaler
jschale@american.edu
http://www.schaler.net
Office: Dept. of Justice, Law, and Society,
Nebraska Hall, 2nd floor
Telephone: (301) 585-5664 in Silver Spring, Md.
Office hours: (by appointment)
Course Description
Most people believe alcohol, tobacco, and illegal
drugs cause "addiction." Addiction is said to be
characterized, in part, by involuntary behavior and
"loss of control" over drug consumption. "Addicted"
persons allegedly lose their ability to refuse
"addictive" drugs and/or to moderate their consumption
of those substances. History shows us that kind of
thinking likely emerged from the anti-alcohol rhetoric
of temperance-era leaders, the anti-alcohol attitudes
instrumental in establishing alcohol prohibition, and
the beliefs about alcohol advanced by members of
Alcoholics Anonymous following repeal.
Contemporary public health, clinical, and legal
perspectives on legal and illegal drugs such as
tobacco, alcohol, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, etc.
also tend to be based, in part, in the same
temperance-era perspectives, i.e. that those drugs are
universally-addicting substances. The implications
for personal and criminal responsibility for the
consequences of legal- and illegal-drug use based on
varying explanations for addiction are significant and
often contradictory. For example, recent attempts to
regulate tobacco by the federal Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) are based in the ideas nicotine
is an addictive drug and cigarettes are "nicotine-
delivery systems." Thus, tobacco is now considered a
"dangerous" drug. This despite the fact most people
quit smoking after many years or moderate their
smoking for many years. Moreover, the widespread
attempts by state attorneys general to hold tobacco
companies liable for the health consequences of
smoking are clearly based in the idea consumers were
"tricked" into being "addicted" by the tobacco
industry. Yet many smokers say they choose to smoke
despite the risks.
In this course we examine the validity of those
assumptions about addiction and their implications for
public, clinical, and legal policy. In addition to
learning about diverse explanatory models for
addiction, we will examine in detail conflicting forms
of treatment for addiction, the efficacy of treatment
in general, First Amendment issues and court-ordered
addiction treatment, addiction and criminal
responsibility, Alcoholics Anonymous and religious-
conversion experience, the use of mind-altering drugs
as religious experience, and the ethics of general
attempts to protect people from themselves advanced by
today's "public health movement." Lecture and
discussion format.
Course Objectives
1. To improve the student's legal and policy-oriented
thinking about the meaning of addiction and the
foundation of behavior labeled as "addictive."
2. To evaluate the evidence supporting and contesting
the ideas addiction exists, is characterized by
involuntariness, and is treatable.
3. To understand what happens in voluntary and
involuntary treatment for drug addiction.
4. To understand public policy, legal, philosophical
and psychological perspectives on why people choose to
use mind-altering drugs.
5. To evaluate the efficacy and constitutionality of
diverse perspectives on and policies for alcohol, drug
and tobacco use in contemporary society.
6. To examine the structure and function of the
contemporary "public health movement."
7. To develop intellectual skill in debating these
and related controversial issues in legal and public
policy settings.
Required Texts
Bufe, C. (1998). Alcoholics Anonymous: Cult or
cure? Second edition revised & expanded.
Tucson, AZ: See Sharp Press.
Schaler, J.A. (ed.) (1997). DRUGS: Should we
legalize, decriminalize, or deregulate? Amherst,
N.Y.: Prometheus Books.
Stevenson, R.L. (1987). Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
New York: Signet Classics
Sullum, J. (1998) For your own good: The anti-
smoking crusade and the tyranny of public health.
New York: Free Press.
Course Requirements and Grades
Position paper 15%
Mid-term examination 35%
Debate 10%
Final examination 35%
Class participation 5%
Total = 100%
Description of course requirements:
Short position paper:: Write a 5-page paper
supporting drug prohibition., federal regulation of
tobacco, and the idea addiction is a treatable
disease. Your paper must not be longer than 5 pages.
Disagree with all arguments supporting drug
legalization and reform measures focused on decreasing
prohibition. Discuss how drugs and drug use cause
addiction and crime. Argue how the state has a
legitimate and compelling interest in protecting
people from themselves as well as from others. Use at
least five references, which are to be listed
separately on the sixth page. Use the reference
format presented in the required readings section of
this syllabus. You may not quote more than two lines
of other material. If you quote more than two lines
your grade on the paper will automatically drop by one
letter grade. Paraphrase material in your own words.
Cite any author you are referring to this way
(Schaler, 1997). Do not list any material in the
reference section that is not cited in the text of
your paper. The paper must be double-spaced,
typewritten with font size no larger than 12 points,
margins no larger than 1 inch. Your spelling must be
accurate. You must use complete sentences and proper
paragraphs. Your paper should be organized with an
introduction, review of issues, discussion and
conclusion.
Mid-term examination: The mid-term examination
will consist of essay questions focused on all
readings and discussion in class.
Debate: A debate topic will be assigned by Dr.
Schaler. Participation in the debate is mandatory.
You will be assigned a position to defend in the
debate. First you will deliver a formal debate
statement. After everyone has done so, you are
expected to argue and debate the topic. The length of
the formal oral statement will be determined by the
professor based on the number of students in the
class. You will be given ample time to meet with your
team during several classes before the debate in order
to plan your presentation accordingly.
Debate topics: One debate concerns the court ruling on
August 14, 1998 re Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation
et al. v. Food & Drug Administration et al., US Court of
Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, in which a prior ruling was
reversed. One team will argue an appeal. The other team
will argue against the appeal. The other debate concerns
Flue-Cured Tobacco Cooperative Stabilization et al. v US
Environmental Protection Agency, Decided July 17, 1998.
One side will argue for an appeal. The other side will
argue against the appeal.
Final examination:
The final examination will consist of essay questions
focused on all of the material covered in this course.
You will be given the opportunity to express your own
point of view on the many controversial issues we addressed.
* Clear and accurate writing will be taken into
account in assigning grades, as well as
participation in class discussions. Material
discussed in class, or in films, and not in any of the
readings, may form the basis for questions on the
examinations. One grade reduction for over
three class absences. Students are responsible
for anything covered in class during their absence.
Readings must be completed by the session to which
they are assigned. Additional readings may be
assigned during the course. Students are encouraged
to form study groups on their own. The examinations
must be taken on the dates assigned. Grades: A-=90,
B+=89, B-=80, C+=79, C-=70, etc.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Date Topic Reading
August 31 Introduction: Lecture
The Drug Policy Problem
September 3 Opium, Cocaine, and Marijuana in
American History Schaler
Part I
September 7 No class--Labor Day
September 10 Just Say "No" to Legalization Parts II
and III
September 14 Medical Marijuana: What Counts
As Medicine? Part IV
September 17 Drug War Metaphors and
Addictions: Part V
Drugs Are Property
September 21 Addiction Is A Behavior: Part VI
The Myth of Loss of Control
September 24 Do Drugs Cause Crime? Part VII
(First position paper due)
September 28 State-Supported and Court-
Ordered Part VIII
Treatment for Addiction
October 1 Film Do Drugs Cause Addiction? Jekyll &
(Debatesdebates) Hyde
October 5 The Case Against Alcoholism as a
Disease Schaler
October 8 Film Is Abstinence the Answer to
Alcoholism? (Debatesdebates)
More on our right to drugs as property
October 12 Constitutional issues & review
October 15 Mid-term examination
October 19 Film & Analysis of AA Bufe 1-4
October 22 Treatment as religion & cult Bufe 5-11
October 26 Tobacco: The New Devil Sullum 1-2
October 29 Coughing Cowboys & Vice Charge Sullum 3-4
November 2 Smoke Alarm & Try, Try Again Sullum 5-6
November 5 Little White Slavers & Doctor's
Orders Sullum 7-8
November 9 Prep for debates
November 12 Debates
November 16 Debates
November 19 Debates
November 23 Debates
November 26 No class--Thanksgiving
November 30 Problems in the reform movement: Handout
Medicalization and the
therapeutic state
December 3 Review for final exam
December 7 Last class
December 17 Final examination 11:20 A.M. to 1:50 P.M.
Academic Integrity Code
"Standards of academic conduct are set forth in the
University's Academic Integrity Code. It is expected
that all examinations, tests, written papers, and
other assignments will be completed according to the
standards set forth in this code. By registering, you
have acknowledged your awareness of the Academic
Integrity Code, and you are obliged to become familiar
with your rights and responsibilities as defined by
the Code. Violations of the Academic Integrity Code
will not be treated lightly, and disciplinary action
will be taken should such violations occur. Please
see me if you have any questions about the academic
violations described in the Code in general or as they
relate to particular requirements for this course."
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