Drugs From A to Z

When I was writing The Cartoon Guide to Recreational Drugs I scoured the local libraries and bookstores looking for useful and interesting historical works. Drugs From A to Z• is one of my sources.

The parts I generally took notes from were either about the drugs themselves or the prohibition of drugs. You’ll find the information garnered from these books throughout the Prohibition Politics section of this site. It will also have informed some of my own postings stored in the older Prohibition Politics archive.

If you find this information useful, you will want to search out the books themselves to read the text in context. All of the books here are at least moderately interesting.

Jerry

Richard R. Lingeman compiles a summary of recreational drug terms and slang, and includes some interesting if anecdotal histories and other information.

BANANA SMOKING. a hoax perpetrated in 1966 and instigated by Marvin Garson. It was alleged that the inside of a banana peel scraped off and dried in the oven would, if smoked, produce a HIGH. Prohibition of bananas would, of course, be impossible. After due investigation, federal authorities pronounced the claims a hoax. The purpose of the jest—to twit narcotics authorities—thus may be said to have been accomplished.