THE PLEASURE SEEKERS: The Drug Crisis, Youth and Society

by ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 1969

Dr. Fort is a psychiatrist who has specialized in narcotic and alcohol addiction and has served as Consultant for Drug Abuse for groups such as the United Nations and World Health Organization. In his conclusions (based on formulized test groups and studies here) he has stormed the Ramparts (a contributor) and punches and feints at the seemingly impenetrable wall of conditioned conservative reaction. He attacks the ""fairy tales"" of the destructive qualities of the drugs including the chromosome altering effects of LSD (aspirin. . . even measles shots have the same effect) and speaks about ""drug effect,"" a term that can be applied to everything from Compoz to tranquilizers to alcohol (which he contends is the most destructive). He indicates the history of each mind-altering substance from the days in 1600 B.C. when opium was prescribed for ""preventing the crying of children."" Much of what he says seems to make sense but unfortunately, Mr. Fort's vociferous radical opinions on everything from politics to the SDS will antagonize the very audience he hopes to convince. And some of the statistics are very arbitrary (one in 10,000 is a bad trip?). Donald Louria has already testified otherwise in The Drug Scene (1968).

Pub Date: July 1, 1969

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Bobbs-Merrill

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1969

Categories: NONFICTION