2.1 Demonizing Psychoactive Substances & their Use

If we look historically and cross-culturally, we find almost universal psychoactive substance use across human societies for a variety of purposes (e.g., healing, spiritual and mystical experiences, increasing self-knowledge and awareness, recreation) (Weil & Rosen, 2004). There is evidence of the use of psilocybin mushrooms (a hallucinogen) as far back as 9000 BCE in North Africa (Beck, 2021; Longrich, July 16, 2021; POPLAR, December 12, 2021), and the brewing and use of alcohol-based beverages in China dating back to 7000 BCE (Hect, J., December 6, 2004; Phillips, 2014; Wang, Jiang & Sun, 2021).
 
VIDEO: The Complete History of Alcohol: A Video Timeline

The following video provides a brief timeline of human use of alcohol.

While the use of some substances has been and is approved of and integrated into the life of most human groups, the opposite is also true for other substances (Weil & Rosen, 2004). The identification and targeting of certain forms of substance use as “bad”, “evil”, “sinful”, or “immoral”, is also something evident historically and cross culturally. Although there are many examples of the problematizing of substances and their use (some of which will be covered in future chapter materials), the two focused on in this chapter are coffee (caffeine) and tobacco (nicotine).
 
Click the link below to learn more about early human psychoactive substances use:

When Did Humans Start Experimenting With Alcohol and Drugs?
 
Between the 16th and 18th century, coffee was the subject of controversy and efforts to prohibit its use (Hay, May 22, 2018). In the 1500s, in the Ottoman Empire, coffee was viewed as a psychoactive substance, similar to opium and alcohol. Its use was labelled as immoral and the cause of social decay, resulting in coffee drinkers being subjected to harsh punishments (Majid, I., July 13, 2019). During this timeframe in Christian societies, coffee was labelled as “Satan’s brew”, due to beliefs that coffee drinking had its roots in non-Christian-based cultures. Attitudes began to shift, however, after coffee was blessed by the Pope (Chrystal, 2016; Mauro, September 26, 2018; Weber, April 19, 2018).
 
Click the link below to learn more about the changing perceptions of coffee consumption:

Coffee Was “Satan’s Brew” Before Pope Clement VIII Baptized It

There was also a strong aversion towards tobacco in parts of Europe after its introduction in the early 16th century. The opposition to tobacco use was tied to its association with Indigenous spiritual rituals. In some countries, severe punishments were imposed on tobacco smokers, including torture and the death penalty (KCBC, January 19, 2005; Mancall, 2004; Weil & Rosen, 2004). For example, one Russia tsar banned “the importation of tobacco…[and] sellers could face death and confiscation of their estate,…buyers torture or public corporal punishment” (Sakharova, Antonov & Salagay, 2017, p. 1). In England, King James I referred to tobacco smoking as “a custom loathsome to the eye, hateful to the nose, harmful to the brain, [and] dangerous to the lungs” (King James 1, 1604), and imposed a 4000% sales tax in lieu of a prohibition. None of the imposed social controls in Europe were successful in curtailing the demand for tobacco (A counterblaste to tobacco, n.d.).