Creating the American Junkie: Addiction Research in the Classic Era of Narcotic Control

This excerpt from Creating the American Junkie examines the historical development of heroin addiction in the United States, tracing its evolution from a primarily medical problem in the late 19th century to a criminalized issue during the Progressive Era. The text analyzes the impact of public policy changes, particularly the Harrison Narcotic Act of 1914, on the rise of a specific demographic of urban, male addicts. It further explores the role of social reformers, physicians, and psychiatrists in shaping perceptions of addiction and the development of treatment methods. The author contrasts early medical and psychiatric approaches, which often emphasized individual character flaws, with later sociological perspectives highlighting the social context of addiction. Finally, the text considers the emergence of harm reduction strategies in response to the limitations of previous approaches.You can listen and download our episodes for free on more than 10 different platforms:https://linktr.ee/book_shelterGet the Book now from Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Creating-American-Junkie-Addiction-Research/dp/0801883830?&linkCode=ll1&tag=cvthunderx-20&linkId=24a3fd3120f0b9baf017a5e9cbf73855&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tlProduced by Podcai Studio:https://www.podcaistudio.com/