What if almost everything we think we know about drugs and addiction is wrong? Gaining a better understanding of the reciprocal relationship between society and substance use is the basis for EDHS 2240. Students will examine this bidirectional relationship through historical, cultural, political, and economic perspectives. The class will highlight current patterns of use, the status of the opioid crisis, our country’s current rise in amphetamine use, how systemic racism is related to substance use issues, and the effect our demand for “cheap highs” has on source countries. Students will consider how they have come to their own personal drug philosophy, and identify how at-risk populations are affected by substance use within our society.