Josie,
Another thing that has fascinated me with illicit drugs, of which I have
taken heroin and the various discourses of heroin as my object of interest
(so to speak, since heroin is more an event then an object) is the demonology
that is assigned to them. Illicit drugs are witchcraft, in this sense, so i
can agree. It doesn't matter if we use them or not, we are all affected one
way or the other by drugs.
When I try to discuss heroin in terms of literature or poetry, I usually get
William Burroughs thrown at me, which usually makes me groan. The other thing
I groan about is being told, by people who are not artists or writers, that
taking drugs is needed to be creative in the arts. Although I smoke the
occasional joint I don't write while intoxicated, which these people find
surprising to hear. (Joints and writing simply don't mix for me, I become
illiterate.) I am sure I am not the only poet, writer or artist to say this.
But, having said this, I find it interesting that people would say or think
drugs are needed to be creative.
As an aside, until a few years ago witchcraft was illegal in Queensland. I
was in Brisbane and needed some Tarot cards for some research I was doing.
Coming from Sydney, I was used to seeing them in just about any bookshop for
about $5, so I went looking. After asking in about a half dozen bookshops, I
eventually found a pack which was brought out from under the counter and the
pack cost me $20! It wasn't until later, back in New South Wales, that I was
to learn why it took so much effort to find a Tarot card pack in Brisbane. It
was illegal to sell them!
best
Chris Jones
On Friday 28 December 2001 09:10, you wrote:
> Chris Jones wrote:
> > I trust you know heroin was invented at the same time as aspirin by
> > Bayer. Pain be damned. Let us change perceptions forever!
>
> Er Chris, we've had opium poppies since forever, ditto pot,
> and asprin I think is in willow bark. Mother nature sorted
> that out without bayers help ;-) Valerian is where valium
> comes from and digitalis (foxglove) is for heart trouble, we
> dont really need chemists at all, just a good herb garden.
>
> Why do you think they burned the herbalists as witches? ANd
> these days simply criminalise them?
>
> Josie
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