GOALS: Viagra, heroin, Prozac, cocaine, Antabuse (disulfiram), marijuana, Naltrexone, etc. etc.
legal and illegal drugs are an important part of our culture.  We will make note of there role in
sports, sex and health where “uppers, downers and all-arounders” enhance our social life. Some
cause concern and lead to legal remedies; some are welcomed and become a part of “modern
culture”.  We will explore the basic pharmacology of drugs, review the efforts of society to
control drugs and find out why it took a constitutional amendment to create “Prohibition” and
simple majority vote in congress to create a “war on drugs”!  Finally, an analysis of college
student drinking relying on a status model offers policy answers.

BOOKS: The following have been ordered at the LU bookstore:

1.  Dan Baum, Smoke and Mirrors    Little, Brown & Company 1996

2.  C. Reinarman & H.G. Levine,  Crack in America   University of California 1997

3.  L. Zimmer & J. P. Morgan,   Marijuana Myths Marijuana Facts   The Lindesmith Center 1997

4.  Joseph R Gusfield,   Symbolic Crusade   2nd edition     The University of Illinois Press 1986

From time - to - time, I will announce the need for additional reading material. I will put it on
reserve at Price Hall in the luxurious lounge outside my office or pass it out in class.

GRADING: Your grade will be based on two test scores, class participation in which you make
insightful contributions and your class presentation. (See below) Each of these represent a third of
your final grade.

CLASS PRESENTATION: The class will be divided into three teams and each will be
responsible for a class meeting (professors of the day). The topic will be determined by draw as
will the date and the composition of the teams. The class time period is from 7:10 - 10:00 PM
with a 15 minute break at an appropriate time. All members of each team are expected to share
equally in the work activity related to the planning, research, organization and
presentation of the material. (Please note - all phases including presentation). There will be
class time provided for team meetings. If any team needs assistance in terms of copying,
overheads or other media tools, please see me.  All teams are required to provide me in writing an
outline of their presentation by the Friday before it is scheduled.  Please inform me of any last
minute changes on the following Monday.

Non- presenters are expected to be in class and be prepared to ask or answer questions and/or to
participate in any class exercises initiated by the professors of the day. I will be observing and
recording who contributes and who does not. (See above,  under grading!)

                                       TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE

January 18     Introduction, discussion of my expectations and your reactions;  value clarification
                     exercise.

    ASSIGNMENTS: Baum, author’s note, Intro., Dramatis Pers., Prologue     chapters 1 - 7

January 25    Drugs in a historical perspective; food & drug act; Harrison Act

   ASSIGNMENTS:  Baum, chapters 8 - 15        Reinarman & Levine,  chapters 11 & 12

February 1   Social control legislation; what is legal and what is not and why (maybe)!

ASSIGNMENTS: Baum, chs 16 - 22 + epilogue, afterward     Reinarman & Levine, chs 13, 14

February 10 (Wednesday, really Monday at Lehigh!)  Wrap up and review

February 15   Test (an hourly exam)     Introduction to basic pharmacology of drugs

  ASSIGNMENTS: Reinarman & Levine, chs 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

February 22   A close look at the “crack attack” of the 1980s; status politics??

  ASSIGNMENTS: Reinarman & Levine, chs 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17 + the epilogue

March 1  Cocaine and crack policy reconsidered

  ASSIGNMENT: Zimmer & Morgan, all of it.

March 10    America goes to pot; pot luck, etc.  Review

March 22   Test (an hourly exam)     Introduction to college student drinking

  ASSIGNMENTS: Gusfield, chapters 1, 2, 3, 4

March 29    The sociological significance of Gusfield’s approach

  ASSIGNMENTS: Gusfield, chapters 5, 6, 7 + the epilogue

April 12   Can Policy-makers learn anything from status politics?
 
April 19    Professors of the day make their presentations
April 26    Professors of the day make their presentations
May 3       Professors of the day make their presentations