Hep-Cats, Narcs, and Pipe Dreams by Jill Jonnes

Source of book: Library

One of my favorite judicial officers of all time is now-retired Judge Frank Hoover. Judge Hoover served as a Superior Court Judge here in Kern County for many years, but also was instrumental in the establishment of Drug Courts throughout the United States. Toward the end of his career, he was assigned to hear family law cases, which is how I came to know him.

Judge Hoover has a great sense of humor, and a knack for the pithy saying. My two favorites are:

“Most folks get their political opinions from reading the whole bumper sticker.”

“Just because something has failed in the past has never stopped us from doing it over and over again, with more money.”

I came to appreciate the second one after speaking with Judge Hoover in preparation for a training on drug abuse that he gave to a section of our County bar association. We had discussed some possible approaches to the subject, and he mentioned that I should read a book that had been an important influence on his thinking. Fortunately our local library had a copy, as this book is unfortunately out of print.

This book is a history of illegal drugs in the United States. It draws extensively on primary sources from the past 150 years, so the narrative is flavored by the writing and views of each era. Thus, the purple prose of the ads for patent medicine in the 1890s and the breathless hyperbole of the reporting on the crack epidemic in the 1980s are both on view. 

The book starts out with the innocent era when opioids and coca were considered to be all-purpose medicines. Coca-Cola, of course, used to contain a significant quantity of cocaine. Morphine and heroin were even marketed to children, as in the case of “Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup. 

"For children teething. Greatly facilitates the process of Teething, by softening the gums, reducing all inflammation; will allay ALL PAIN and spasmodic action, and is SURE TO REGULATE THE BOWELS. Depend on it, Mothers, it will give rest to yourselves and RELIEF AND HEALTH TO YOUR INFANTS. Sold by all chemists, at 1s 1/2d per bottle."

Eventually, of course, it became clear that these drugs were addictive, and led to a host of related problems. Despite what legalization proponents say, the problem would not simply go away with removal of the criminal prosecution. A significant majority of those addicted are not fit to work or participate in mainstream society.

The author refers to this era as the first American drug epidemic. It started primarily amount white, middle class women; spreading eventually to the typical addict demographic: young, poor men alienated from mainstream society.

Initially, enforcement focused on regulating the use of narcotics in medicine and in keeping doctors from prescribing to addicts. The problem spread beyond this, however, and the same sources for illegal alcohol during prohibition found that distribution of heroin was even more lucrative.

This era came to an end primarily through the disruption of supply during World War Two. Most of the refining occurred in Europe, and the effects of the war combined with the general blockade of shipping to essentially eliminate the supply for a time.

Although this temporarily sobered up thousands of addicts, there was still the problem of what to do with them. As soon as the supply returned, many if not most would simply resume the habit. At this time, methadone treatment was first used, with some success. Not everyone considered it a success, however, and a division arose which persists to this day. Is the point of drug treatment to attain complete abstinence from all use, or is it to enable the addict to function in society? Is it enough that a person is able to hold a job and care for his or her family, or is the use of any opioid immoral in itself? This, of course, was an argument applied to alcohol during prohibition. 

The second epidemic started after the war, among the black jazz culture. At this time, what we think of as “drug culture” really started to take shape. Being “hep” was linked to drug use, which then became a requirement of participation in “hep” culture. Music and drugs were linked in a way that has unfortunately endured. As Artie Shaw said at the time, “Jazz was born in a whiskey barrel, grew up on marijuana, and is about to expire on heroin.”

This time, the spread was reversed: drugs went from a lower class habit to a more widespread phenomenon. The concept of alienation from the mainstream was no longer looked on as a disadvantage, but as an advantage.

At the height of this second epidemic came true missionaries of drug use such as Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsburg, who believed that drugs could be the gateway to self-improvement.

Eventually, however, the effects of drugs became clear as they did during the first epidemic, and public opinion changed again. Enforcement became more of a priority at this time.  

Of course, by this time, it was much harder to control supply. Production had spread to Southeast Asia, which was under Communist threat. The CIA actually encouraged anti-Communist groups to fund themselves using drug production – perhaps not the best of decisions in hindsight.

The third epidemic occurred in the 1980s and 90s with cocaine. This time, a repeat of the first epidemic occurred: use started among the upper and middle classes. Cocaine was expensive and thus somewhat self limiting. However, it was still dangerous and addictive even in the powder form. The death of athlete Len Bias brought this fact home in dramatic fashion.

The drug made its transition to the lower class with the development of crack cocaine which was less expensive, at least at the outset. The alarming fact about the spread of crack is that it appeared to appeal to women like no other drug before it. Heroin tended to be primarily (although not exclusively) a male drug of choice, perhaps because of the use of needles. Crack could be smoked, and this seemed to increase its appeal.

This book was written in the 1990s, so it misses what is probably the fourth epidemic, methamphetamine. Since Kern County is a major source of meth, it is quite popular among the local addicts, and the drug is a constant topic in the news.

In addition to the history of addiction, this book tells the history of enforcement. This portion reads like a tragic farce. From the beginning, the enforcement agencies have been vulnerable to infighting and corruption, to lack of focus, to failure to anticipate or notice new trends, and to conflict with other national and international goals.

The author posits that there are three essential facets to the fight against addiction. First, drug culture must be addressed. If the culture shrinks, the number of addicts should shrink as well. If fewer young people get started using, then the older addicts will die off and not be replaced. In each case where drug use has shrunk, this was the case.

The second facet is the treatment of addiction. While no cure has a great success rate, those that involve extended inpatient treatment seem to work better. Oddly, both voluntary and involuntary programs have statistically similar rates, which gives hope that not all recovery need start with the addict. Drug court in particular seemed to have many positive effects. The threat of jail time (which would typically be used once or twice with a given addict), regular testing and accountability, and positive social reinforcement combine to be fairly effective. If recovery was not a possibility, there would be far more addicts today. In 1985, a survey was done that revealed that fully 1/3 of those ages 18-25 claimed to have tried cocaine. Clearly only a small percentage of those were unable to eventually lead normal lives.

The third facet is the one that has unfortunately been the hardest to address: international control of the sources. Originally, it was the first world countries that produced narcotics. Thus, they were subject to international pressure and sanctions. This is not the case with most third world drug producing countries. With each epidemic, the distribution and sourcing has grown to be bigger and more violent, with the cartels now able to behave like political and military entities of their own. Until supply is severely restricted, there will always be a problem.

Judge Hoover position, as he explained it to me, is that we tend to look at the drug problem as a government problem, one with a law enforcement solution. In reality, it is a social and family problem. Drug culture and the growth of fatherless families have fed off each other in a self-reinforcing cycle. This problem will have to have a solution within society and the culture rather than simple government intervention.

If you can find this book, by all means read it. Addiction affects nearly every family, and a better understanding of the history behind the present situation sheds light on what has and has not been effective. It also promotes careful thought as an alternative to simple solutions that fit on bumper stickers.

The Letter of Marque by Patrick O’Brian

Source of Book: I own this. 

 

The Letter of Marque is number twelve of the twenty and one-half books in the Aubrey-Maturin series that O’Brian wrote between 1970 and his death in 2000. The series follows the lives of the two main characters throughout their careers, and thus may be considered to be one exceedingly long novel.

Originally born in England as Richard Patrick Russ, he changed his name in 1945 after marrying the ex-wife of Russian nobleman Dimitri Tolstoy (a distant cousin of the famous author). O’Brian was quite secretive about the early part of his life, and there is some evidence that he was involved in the secret services during World War II, which might explain his wish to leave his past and past name behind.

The Aubrey-Maturin series is the story of Jack Aubrey, naval captain; and Stephen Maturin, a physician and secret agent. The two meet for the first time in Master and Commander, and afterward are inseparable both personally and professionally. The series is often compared to C. S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower series, as both used the real life adventures of the British Navy during the Napoleonic Wars as the basis for their plots – particularly the exploits of Captain Thomas Cochrane, the inspiration for Jack Aubrey. However, O’Brian’s novels have appeal beyond the exciting episodes. The character and personalities of the two men are central to the narrative, and keep the series from becoming a mere naval thriller in long form. In fact, O’Brian is most often compared to Jane Austen for his characterization and sparkling dialogue.

The novels themselves are notable for a wealth of careful detail. O’Brian made a study of the geographical details of the places around the world in which the events occur, and is able to use these details in his descriptions of the battles in a vivid manner. I found it easy to picture the position of the characters in each assault on land, the lay of the obstacles around a difficult harbor entry, and the lines taken by the ships in battle as each tries to gain the best position regarding the wind and the orientation of the guns. O’Brian uses plenty of nautical terms, and doesn’t explain them all at first, so the reader must keep up as best he can until things start to make sense. This parallels the disorientation that Maturin feels at sea the first time. (He never quite gets over his lubberly tendencies.) Maturin is also a naturalist, so his adventures bring an abundance of plants and animals to the story, in their natural habitats, and occasionally aboard the ship. The cloak and dagger episodes involving Stephen’s work in intelligence are also full of authentic atmosphere and incident – perhaps lending some credence to the idea that he had lived this life.

O’Brian has an interesting writing style that almost defies a short explanation. On the one hand, his dialogue is similar to Austen and other contemporaries – it certainly isn’t modern speech. On the other, the writing itself feels modern in texture. The words flow naturally, without the stilted feeling typical for 19^th Century writing. Also unique is O’Brian’s choice of pacing. He will dwell in loving detail on a seemingly insignificant scene: insignificant to the plot at least. These scenes are often important for character development. O’Brian uses his pacing in other scenes to suggest the perception of time. The preparation for a battle will seem long and tense, building gradually to the big climax, which will then fly by breathlessly, with little chance to notice even the details of the fight. Then, O’Brian will skip over certain events altogether. Some of these, I wished he had fleshed out, but he chose which portions of the story he felt were most important. This is not to say that important plot points are left out, because they are not. I never felt lost, just a bit concussed. I suspect this is intentional. The experience of war isn’t like the movies, or even most books, but the author makes an attempt to recreate the feelings through pacing.

Another more modern facet of the writing is the realism as to the less savory elements of society. Disease and prostitution are ever present in the 19^th century world. The fact of adultery is not denied, nor is it glorified. Sex is treated frankly, but not graphically. (There is a scene of rather graphic insect sex, though.) The typical novel of the period either ignores these issues, or treats them in a lurid and unrealistic manner. I found O’Brian’s approach to be a more honest one. There is no bodice ripping here. Venereal disease is common, as are illegitimate children. (Maturin himself is one.) Adultery isn’t the grand romance of certain modern literature, but has real life consequences. Nothing is there for the titillation factor. Everything serves the plot and the characterization.

As to this particular volume of the story, it is set much more at sea than the previous one, The Reverse of the Medal, which takes place primarily on land. It is also less dark in its events than its predecessor, and has plenty of exciting naval action. It also explores Maturin’s opium addiction and Aubrey’s inner torment in more detail than previous books, giving a contrast to the rather sunny events of the book. (Assuming you consider kicking French posterior to be a happy affair, of course.) The book also brings the character of Diana Villiers (now Stephen’s wife), the most interesting female character in the series, back into the story.

It would be pointless to spoil the plot of this or any other book in the series. Suffice it to say that O’Brian can be counted on to tell a good tale. The story is hardly the main point, however, or there would be no reason to re-read these after the plot is known. The excellent writing and characterization are what raise these books above the average adventure tale. 

Some notes on stuff beyond the books:

I have not seen the movie version of Master and Commander. In general, I have a hard time with movies that are based on good books, because a disappointment is likely. There are a few great adaptations of good books: Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy comes to mind, as well as the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice and the first two Anne of Green Gables movies.

I will admit I am prejudiced against this one from the start because of one detail. The plot of the movie is taken from The Far Side of the World, rather than Master and Commander. This is not the problem. The problem is that the enemy in The Far Side of the World is not France, but the United States. Perhaps Hollywood thinks American audiences can’t handle being the villain. Perhaps Hollywood reads American taste well, seeing as Adam Sandler has a career. It still hacks me off. Let Aubrey shoot at Americans!

I have, however, enjoyed one item connected with the movie. Aubrey’s favorite ship, the Surprise was lovingly recreated for the movie. It is now preserved as a functioning ship at the San Diego Maritime Museum. While a purist would quibble that the “actual” Surprise was a bit bigger than the movie one, this is still a truly amazing reproduction. For those of ample means, it is possible to train as a deck hand, and sail this thing on a cruise. If that is beyond your budget and time allotment, the museum itself is well worth the price. In addition to the Surprise, you can tour the Star of India, an actual ship from the end of the age of sail. My kids loved this. One of the original bay ferries has been turned into the main museum, with plenty of displays regarding steam power and other stuff irresistible to young boys. 

Finally, we classical musicians can enjoy the books for the fact that Aubrey and Maturin play violin and cello, respectively. Numerous chamber works from the era find their way into the books. One wonders whether O’Brian played, or if he was a just a fan.