You can of course argue that but you cant back it up. For that you would need to strip the system around the person which you cant. This means you cant know if that person who me someone who uses drugs would have gone the same way if the system wasnt shit.
People have been using drugs like alcohol since before humans even existed (I’m counting neanderthals as people here), so systemic issues can’t be the only reason why people use drugs, as neanderthals didn’t really form societies. There are even animals other than humans who consume fermented fruit to get drunk, probably just because it feels good.
The pure use of drugs like alcohol (especially naturally occuring) has zero to do with addiction, which we were discussing.
Addiction stems from multiple factors. There needs to be opportunity (which even in prohibition exists), genetic factor (optional) and reason. The reason is arguably the biggest factor and while a person could technically just love slowly killing themselves, the numbers show that addiction rates are far higher if people are poor and unhealthy in the beginning, which is another sidehustle of capitalism.
The pure use of drugs like alcohol (especially naturally occuring) has zero to do with addiction, which we were discussing.
Yes it does, because physiological addiction exists, even to naturally occurring substances like alcohol, opium, coca leaves, etc.
The reason to continue using a drug to the point of physiological or psychological addiction can be as simple as “it feels good”. I do agree with you that a component of addiction is hardship, but I don’t think that’s the sole thing you can point to.
Also capitalism isn’t unique in being an oppresive system. Before capitalism, there was feudalism, slavery, monarchies, etc. When you have power seekers able to gain power, these kinds of systemic outcomes are inevitable.
Now, there is also evidence to support your hypothesis, namely that I think there was a study done thag showed that previously homeless herion addicts were very easilly able to quit the drug on their own after being housed. I don’t remember where I saw that study, though.
You can of course argue that but you cant back it up. For that you would need to strip the system around the person which you cant. This means you cant know if that person who me someone who uses drugs would have gone the same way if the system wasnt shit.
People have been using drugs like alcohol since before humans even existed (I’m counting neanderthals as people here), so systemic issues can’t be the only reason why people use drugs, as neanderthals didn’t really form societies. There are even animals other than humans who consume fermented fruit to get drunk, probably just because it feels good.
You’re mixing things up.
The pure use of drugs like alcohol (especially naturally occuring) has zero to do with addiction, which we were discussing.
Addiction stems from multiple factors. There needs to be opportunity (which even in prohibition exists), genetic factor (optional) and reason. The reason is arguably the biggest factor and while a person could technically just love slowly killing themselves, the numbers show that addiction rates are far higher if people are poor and unhealthy in the beginning, which is another sidehustle of capitalism.
So yes, its all capitalism.
Yes it does, because physiological addiction exists, even to naturally occurring substances like alcohol, opium, coca leaves, etc.
The reason to continue using a drug to the point of physiological or psychological addiction can be as simple as “it feels good”. I do agree with you that a component of addiction is hardship, but I don’t think that’s the sole thing you can point to.
Also capitalism isn’t unique in being an oppresive system. Before capitalism, there was feudalism, slavery, monarchies, etc. When you have power seekers able to gain power, these kinds of systemic outcomes are inevitable.
Now, there is also evidence to support your hypothesis, namely that I think there was a study done thag showed that previously homeless herion addicts were very easilly able to quit the drug on their own after being housed. I don’t remember where I saw that study, though.