The Drug Years
Encyclopedia
The Drug Years is a 2006 television documentary
series produced by the Sundance Channel and VH1
about illicit drug use
in the United States
in the second half of the 20th century.
It is divided into four episodes, based on chronology:
Television documentary
Documentary television is a genre of television programming that broadcasts documentaries.* Documentary television series, a television series which is made up of documentary episodes....
series produced by the Sundance Channel and VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
about illicit drug use
Recreational drug use
Recreational drug use is the use of a drug, usually psychoactive, with the intention of creating or enhancing recreational experience. Such use is controversial, however, often being considered to be also drug abuse, and it is often illegal...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the second half of the 20th century.
It is divided into four episodes, based on chronology:
- "Break On Through" (1950s–1967) This is about the sudden appearance of recreational drugs being used by beatniks and jazzJazzJazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musicians. - "Feed Your Head" (1967–1971) This shows the beginning and the demise of the hippieHippieThe hippie subculture was originally a youth movement that arose in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to other countries around the world. The etymology of the term 'hippie' is from hipster, and was initially used to describe beatniks who had moved into San Francisco's...
movement in America, especially in San Francisco. - "Teenage Wasteland" (1970s) This chronicles the years after the hippie movement. The explosion of cocaineCocaineCocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and discoDiscoDisco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
are explored. - "Just Say No!" (1980s–Present) This is about the crack epidemicCrack EpidemicThe United States crack epidemic refers to the surge of crack houses and crack cocaine use in major cities in the United States between 1984 and 1990...
and the War on DrugsWar on DrugsThe War on Drugs is a campaign of prohibition and foreign military aid and military intervention being undertaken by the United States government, with the assistance of participating countries, intended to both define and reduce the illegal drug trade...
. It also shows the popularity of rehabilitation clinics in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as the prevalence of ecstasy in the raveRaveRave, rave dance, and rave party are parties that originated mostly from acid house parties, which featured fast-paced electronic music and light shows. At these parties people dance and socialize to dance music played by disc jockeys and occasionally live performers...
culture.