His.
His - belonging to or associated with a male person or animal previously mentioned or easily identified.
His. The Twelfth artwork from the Law on the Wall series by Lawyers Arts Club.
The title His is taken from the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. 5.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF A SINGLE WORD
The power behind a pronoun is paramount, it does not just label what belongs to someone. A pronoun provides a sense of identity, a representation of how we identify. By being referred too as the correct pronoun, without even realising it, reduces social oppression tenfold.
WHY HIS?
To have controlled drugs in ones possession can result in a prison sentence. With such a rich history throughout movements and popular culture it is difficult to see exactly why and where the line has been drawn. The education on drugs is paramount to understand this.
18th-century French engraving of Odysseus (Ulysses) on the island of the lotus-eaters.
WHAT LAW IS ON THE WALL?
The legal context in this act showcases the significance that no person shall be permitted to have any uncontrolled substances in their possession.
Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. 5 Restriction of possession of controlled drugs. (1) Subject to any regulations under section 7 of this Act for the time being in force, it shall not be lawful for a person to have a controlled drug in his possession.
THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUG DEATHS
In 2020 there were a recorded 4,561 drug related poisonings that resulted in deaths. This figure is a 3.8% rise since last year and the highest recorded number since the records began in 1933.
If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart.
UNDER THE INFLUENCE
In the year 2000, Washington D.C. born artist Bryan Lewis Saunders set out to take a different drug each day and draw a self portrait whilst under the influence. This experiment/artistic venture was titled Under The Influence and has subsequently been documented in the film Art of Darkness. In 1995 Saunders committed to creating a self portrait every day, the drug series was just a small part of a much bigger project. Some of the drugs involved were Vicodin (a sketch in which 3 bodies go into a melted toad like face), heroin (a simple line drawing with little facial features and an elephant) and cocaine (a dark sketch with lots or shading depicting a demonic like face). The experiment left Saunders with mild brain damage resulting in psychomotor retardation and confusion).
Portrait on half a gram of cocaine by Bryan Lewis Saunders
DRUGS, MUSIC AND THEIR SCENE
The drugs of a time have been an easy way for people to look back at the music and the scene in which they are in. The 1960s saw a rise of psychedelic music surrounded by the Counterculture using LSD and cannabis regularly. Moving through to the seventies we were introduced to punk music, harsh, loud and fast, much like the effects of the then more accessible cocaine. The 80s was a time of electronic dance music, generated beats to go along with the rising heart beats of those using crack cocaine. In the 90s began the rave scene and coming with it was ecstasy, the drug to make you dance for hours listening to structured beats of a more fully fledged electro pop.
Let the future tell the truth, and evaluate each one according to his work and accomplishments. The present is theirs; the future, for which I have really worked, is mine.
RASTAFARIANISM
In a war torn Jamaica, a new religion emerged in the 1930s called Rastafarianism. The teachings at the time can be summarised into a group of people who did not feel like they belonged. After the abolishment of slavery in 1865, many slaves from Africa that had been brought to Jamaica to work the plantations, settled where they were. Almost all of people living there now are descendants of slaves, and Rastafarianism was formed in celebration of this fact. In an attempt to abolish the idea of British colonialism, the Rastafari saw the importance in remembering and owning their African heritage. Despite being illegal in Jamaica the Rasta’s see “the ganja” (weed) as a sacrament and smoke it for its health benefits. It is a common misconception that this small religion is always high, in fact it is actually a tool to reach a higher level of consciousness. If a believer feels they have already reached that then they can abstain from its use.
WHY IS HIS IMPORTANT IN 2021 AN BEYOND?
Drugs have been in the underbelly of society for generations. From the times that Galileo was smoking opium looking up at the night sky to gurning underground ravers sweating to drum and bass. But with drug related deaths reaching a record high since the record began in 1933, it is crucial to remember that it is not only illegal but can be incredibly dangerous.
HIS MATTERS
We celebrate the development of care throughout the world. In times before when controlled substances were new, there was little understanding on the short and long term effects. Thanks to the development of science we can now identify what makes drugs so addictive and how it truly effects our body and mind.
Ken Kesey and The Band of Merry Pranksters on their bus Furthur in the 1960s.
POPPY SEEDS
Dating back to the 3,400 BC archeologists have found evidence of regular use of optimum. The dried latex from an opium poppy seed when smoked or consumed can give the user a slower heart rate, leading them to a sense of euphoria and relaxation. Traces of opium use have been littered throughout history, most famously in Ancient Greece and Ancient Egypt.
LOTUS EATER
In Greek mythology according to Homer’s Odyssey, the hero Odysseus during his return from Troy was driven by a north wind to encounter a tribe. The local inhabitants encouraged Odysseus’ scouts to eat a mysterious plant. Those who partook were overcome by a blissful forgetfulness and had to be dragged back to the ship. The term lotos was used to describe several non-narcotic plants however it has been known to represent the opium poppy, as the ripe seed pod resembles the pod of a lotus. Many ancient writers have used the phrase “to eat lotus” metaphorically, meaning to forget or be unmindful.
A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.
THE ELECTRIC KOOL-AID ACID TEST
In 1968, Tom Wolfe released The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test, a non-fiction account of his time on the road with Ken Kesey and his Merry Band of Pranksters on their bus called Furthur. In an aim to expand their consciousness Kesey and the Pranksters travelled America in a converted school bus partaking in regular use of LCD. The book chronicles the hippies having parties with Acid laced Kool-Aid, and encountering famous figures from the time. The first person perspective has had mixed critical responses, however publications like The New York Times have hailed it as one of the greatest pieces of literacy ever produced.
PROJECT MKULTRA
After the introduction of LSD in America the CIA wanted to see if they could use it to defect Soviet spies and force out a confession. To test this theory they administered LSD without permission to mental patients, prisoners, sex workers and drug addicts, and monitored the effects. One case has suggested that they secretly gave one mental patient LSD for 172 day straight.
LEGALISE IT?
Marijuana is under constant debate worldwide. In countries such as the Netherlands, Canada and some states in the US legalising cannabis use it bodes the question. Should it be legalised? If we were to compare it to substances that are already legal in most countries such as alcohol or tobacco. Cannabis has similar short term effects however when we think about the long term effects the drug seems to be less detrimental to our health. The long term effects of drinking can result in liver disease, brain and CNS damage and pancreatitis. Smoking tobacco can lead to bleeding on the brain, cancer and respiratory problems. Cannabis however can potentially cause brain development issues to teenagers and in very rare cases contribute to schizophrenia. Whilst excessive use of any is bad, weed’s effects are much more rare and much less severe.
HEALTH BENEFITS
The argument to legalise weed does not just come from the stoners. The plant has numerous health benefits for those who might need it. The drug has been proven to help with severe cases of epilepsy and multiple sclerosis. It is also said to help those with depression and sleeping disorders as it relieves anxiety levels in a person. The use of medicinal marijuana is still in early stages and the true benefits or risks are still being discovered.
HIS-TORY
Did you know that the etymology of the word history dates back to Ancient Greece? The word histor translated to a wise man or judge, this then developed into historein which meant to inquire. This is then picked up further down the line with the term historia in latin, meaning the narrative of past events, accounts, tales or stories. Then in the 14th century we see the introduction of the word history as we know it today.
Bob Marley smoking weed.