People love to get into altered states. It’s a fixation that starts in childhood for most people. Disagree? Then you probably didn’t enjoy spinning around to get dizzy as a kid. Dizziness is just one of many altered states. As we come of age, the drive to chase these states typically doesn’t wane—it simply evolves to involve various substances beyond adrenaline, caffeine, and sugar. The drive for inebriation has followed humanity through the ages, embedded into our DNA and reflected in our culture.
While almost every human enjoys getting inebriated, Americans, in particular, have a global reputation for partying hard. We’ve been known as a nation that celebrates in excess since our earliest days.
In the 1800s, British author Frederick Marryat observed this about Americans:
“They say that the British cannot fix anything properly without a dinner, but I’m sure the Americans can fix nothing without a drink. If you meet, you drink; if you part, you drink; if you make acquaintance, you drink; if you close a bargain, you drink; they quarrel in their drink, and they make it up with a drink. They drink, because it is hot; they drink, because it is cold. If successful in elections, they drink and rejoice; if not, they drink and swear;—they begin to drink early in the morning, they leave off late at night; they commence it early in life, and they continue it, until they soon drop into the grave. To use their own expression, the way they drink is ‘quite a caution.’ As for water, what the man said, when asked to belong to the Temperance Society, appears to be the general opinion: ‘It’s very good for navigation.’”
So yes, Americans love inebriation. Sometimes, it feels like this fixation might be our downfall if we don’t change how we approach it.
The Contradiction of Freedom and Prohibition
In our “free” country, it’s curious that alcohol—a mild poison that destroys brain gray matter, dumbs people down, and fuels violence—is legal for consenting adults, while psilocybin, a substance shown to have significant therapeutic benefits, is banned.
The war on drugs should not end with marijuana legalization. People consume far more than just alcohol and weed for recreation, and pretending otherwise is dishonest. We need to stop perpetuating myths about sobriety as the standard for most Americans and face the reality of our culture.
The inebriation industry thrives on restriction. From the illegalities surrounding other substances to the industrial prison complex that profits off incarcerating those who break these rules, the system is built on exclusion and punishment. Meanwhile, alcohol—a highly dangerous and addictive substance—is widely available, albeit heavily monitored.
Millions of Americans break the law to use substances other than alcohol or marijuana. The prohibition on these substances has not stopped their use—it has merely pushed them into an unregulated, often dangerous underground market.
The Costs of Prohibition
Prohibition has eroded America’s sense of compassion. It has contributed to the nation’s record levels of homelessness, mental health crises, and mass shootings. The war on drugs has created an immensely profitable underground market, even drawing in government entities like the CIA, as evidenced by the IranContra Affair, where crack cocaine was funneled into the United States.
This hypocrisy is glaring: why can Donald Trump Jr. openly “gummy it up” at a SpaceX rocket launch while others are imprisoned for drug use? Prohibition creates a two-tiered system where some enjoy privilege and impunity, while others suffer punishment and exclusion.
Prohibition’s Attack on the American Dream
Prohibition undermines the very principles of the American Dream: freedom, opportunity, and fairness. The prohibition of certain substances limits personal freedom by dictating what consenting adults can or cannot consume. It creates systemic inequities, disproportionately targeting marginalized communities for incarceration and perpetuating cycles of poverty.
Economically, prohibition siphons billions of dollars into the black market instead of the public treasury. The illicit drug market, valued at $426–652 billion annually, represents a massive untapped resource that could be redirected toward public benefits. Imagine a healthcare system funded by the regulated sale of recreational substances—one that provides universal coverage, including mental health and substance abuse services.
Instead, prohibition sustains a system that rations healthcare to maximize profit, leaving millions without adequate care. By legalizing recreational substances, we could redirect profits into improving the lives of all Americans, creating a system that aligns with our values of liberty and opportunity.
Prohibition is UnAmerican
Like alcohol and marijuana before it, the prohibition of other recreational substances causes more harm than good. It fuels corruption, exacerbates social inequality, and undermines public health. Prohibition isn’t just ineffective—it’s unAmerican.
It’s time to end the hypocrisy. Let consenting adults access safe, regulated substances while ensuring quality and safety. Let’s move toward a future where we channel our collective desire for inebriation into building a healthier, more compassionate society. A nation that funds universal healthcare from the proceeds of regulated substance sales is a nation that truly values its people and the American Dream.
