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George D. Lundberg, MD
Los Angeles

JAMA. 1970;213(12):2082.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

The entire Western world is experiencing a major epidemic of drug abuse. Drug abuse is best defined as the use of drugs in a manner which may be calculated to produce harm. This definition purposefully excludes any elements of basic law or medical practice. In all of recorded history, there always has been drug abuse and a hard core of drug abusers. There is no reason to believe that this will not always be true.

The reasons for the current epidemic include the following: (1) The number of drugs and their availability has increased. Improved means of transportation, communication, supply, and purchasing power are compounded by the increased variety of drugs synthesized by modern chemistry laboratories. (2) Our society includes the largest number of anxious, lonely, bored, and purposeless people ever. These settings, with lack of goal commitment, often precede drug abuse. (3) The "pious pushers" of . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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