The Pursuit of

"Most of the mistakes [in the War on Drugs] have roots in an elementary error, the inability to accept that "altering one's consciousness is a fundamental human desire." The craving to be more relaxed or more alert, more outgoing or more reflective, happier or deeper or even just sillier and less bored -- in one form other another, this drive has always been and always will be with us, though many of us refuse to admit it. As a result, our political response to drug problems tends to be blinkered."

from Why we say yes to drugs, a Salon review of a new book on the futility of anti-drug laws.

I would agree that "altering one's consciousness is a fundamental human desire," as humans have been seeking out in their rituals new ways of perceiving themselves and the world since we've had a consciousness to alter. This is also a pertinent theme in Infinite Jest, whether people given the choice to pursue some form of happiness regardless if they know it's bad for them will still choose to do so. Of course I don't think the issue is as simple as the pursuit of novelty and entertainment vs. conservative policies. On one hand is the issue of addiction, that some people are perhaps more prone to continually harmfully altering themselves, and on the other is the double standard with which America has presented drug policy: Not only that programs like DARE actually encourage drug experimentation, as the article claims, but even more so that media and entertainment options are generally passive and consumptive by nature (ie TV), and other active forms of enjoyment such as creating art require some skill and drive, neither of which are encouraged or actively taught in contemporary culture. Which, for our country's bored youth left drugs as one of the few choices of how to spend one's time. Of course nowadays there's the internet, which seems to give that kind of choice, though is perhaps as equally addictive.