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Busted: An Illustrated History of Drug Prohibition in Canada
Long-listed for the George Ryga Award.
Canada’s drug laws are constantly changing. But what does Canada’s history of drug prohibition say about its future?
Busted is an illustrated history of Canadian drug prohibition and resistance to that prohibition. Reproducing over 170 archival and contemporary drawings, paintings, photographs, film stills and official documents from the 1700s to the present, Susan Boyd shows how Canada’s drug prohibition policies evolved and were shaped by white supremacy, colonization, race, class and gender discrimination. This history demonstrates that prohibition and criminalization produces harm rather than benefits, including the arrest of thousands of Canadians each year for cannabis-related offences, and the current drug overdose crisis. .
Visually engaging and approachably written, Busted is a timely examination of Canada’s history of drug control and movements against that control. Susan Boyd argues that in order to chart the future, it is worthwhile for us as Canadians to know our history of prohibition and how it continues to intersects with colonization and race, class, and gender injustice.
Canada’s drug laws are constantly changing. But what does Canada’s history of drug prohibition say about its future?
Busted is an illustrated history of Canadian drug prohibition and resistance to that prohibition. Reproducing over 170 archival and contemporary drawings, paintings, photographs, film stills and official documents from the 1700s to the present, Susan Boyd shows how Canada’s drug prohibition policies evolved and were shaped by white supremacy, colonization, race, class and gender discrimination. This history demonstrates that prohibition and criminalization produces harm rather than benefits, including the arrest of thousands of Canadians each year for cannabis-related offences, and the current drug overdose crisis. .
Visually engaging and approachably written, Busted is a timely examination of Canada’s history of drug control and movements against that control. Susan Boyd argues that in order to chart the future, it is worthwhile for us as Canadians to know our history of prohibition and how it continues to intersects with colonization and race, class, and gender injustice.
- GenresNonfictionHistoryCanada
169 pages, Paperback
Published December 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 22, 2022
This is a great book about the history of drug prohibition in Canada. I really enjoyed the format. The pictures and documents meshed well with the text throughout, and added to the understanding of the time period that each part of the book took place in.
Im glad I had this as a physical book, I don't think it would have had the same impact as an ebook. The mix the text, pictures, and documents work together to give a sense of place and time.
The government department(s) that decide which drugs are illegal and which are useful to society don't seem to use research or facts. The book talks about what actually influences these decisions.
The book talks about how advertising, public awareness TV movies and advertisements contribute to the misinformation about drugs. I recognized much of the '80s and '90s propaganda from television and school programs (Just Say No) that are sponsored by various groups and the government aimed at turning youth away from drug use. They are largely ineffective.
The government has a huge role in deciding which drugs are studied or not, and this hinders research into benefits of drugs deemed harmful and illegal like marijuana, and LSD. It's is amazing how arbitrary decisions are about which drugs can be used, which are illegal, and what research is allowed or "valid". The amount of money spent on "The War on Drugs" is mind boggling, especially when you think about how that money could have been spent to remedy the societal problems that led drug use in the first place.
An excellent example of this is the legality of alcohol that causes immense harm to society (though prohibition was an abysmal failure), and the illegality of drugs that are relatively harmless and might have many positive applications for health care.
The information about drug treatment programs and those that are effective, and the ubiquitousness those that are almost completely useless (AA, DA, and any other programs based on the 10 steps) is very interesting, and makes you wonder why the judicial system is always mandating the use of ones that are useless, no better success than if you try to quit on your own.
It's not easy to find books that are solely about Canada. I enjoyed the history and contemporary views about drugs; seeing how things have changed over the years. How arbitrary laws are when it comes to drugs is a big eye-opener.
I highly recommend this book, especially to people who are just beginning to learn the history of drugs, and the changes of public viewpoints and laws over the years. This information can help to inform what direction we, as responsible and informed citizens, should pursue in the future.
Im glad I had this as a physical book, I don't think it would have had the same impact as an ebook. The mix the text, pictures, and documents work together to give a sense of place and time.
The government department(s) that decide which drugs are illegal and which are useful to society don't seem to use research or facts. The book talks about what actually influences these decisions.
The book talks about how advertising, public awareness TV movies and advertisements contribute to the misinformation about drugs. I recognized much of the '80s and '90s propaganda from television and school programs (Just Say No) that are sponsored by various groups and the government aimed at turning youth away from drug use. They are largely ineffective.
The government has a huge role in deciding which drugs are studied or not, and this hinders research into benefits of drugs deemed harmful and illegal like marijuana, and LSD. It's is amazing how arbitrary decisions are about which drugs can be used, which are illegal, and what research is allowed or "valid". The amount of money spent on "The War on Drugs" is mind boggling, especially when you think about how that money could have been spent to remedy the societal problems that led drug use in the first place.
An excellent example of this is the legality of alcohol that causes immense harm to society (though prohibition was an abysmal failure), and the illegality of drugs that are relatively harmless and might have many positive applications for health care.
The information about drug treatment programs and those that are effective, and the ubiquitousness those that are almost completely useless (AA, DA, and any other programs based on the 10 steps) is very interesting, and makes you wonder why the judicial system is always mandating the use of ones that are useless, no better success than if you try to quit on your own.
It's not easy to find books that are solely about Canada. I enjoyed the history and contemporary views about drugs; seeing how things have changed over the years. How arbitrary laws are when it comes to drugs is a big eye-opener.
I highly recommend this book, especially to people who are just beginning to learn the history of drugs, and the changes of public viewpoints and laws over the years. This information can help to inform what direction we, as responsible and informed citizens, should pursue in the future.
June 30, 2022
Good primer of Canadian drug laws, although like all books based on policy, it is now outdated due to legislative and regulatory changes.
January 24, 2022
A very comprehensive summary of drug prohibition in Canada, however, things are mentioned that could have been more elaborated on.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews