An epidemiological and sociological analysis of the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs of solace

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Abstract
Our society not only needs alcohol, tobacco and other drugs of solace to relieve individuals of a great burden of pain and suffering but could not function in its present form without them. The underlying causes of the medical conditions associated with their use are twofold: those which are due to direct material causes; and those in which the material causes act indirectly through ideology. A major task for epidemiology is the study of the aetiology and classification of those diseases which provide a need for the drugs of solace. In the meantime, the prevention of these conditions requires immediate action, which will not be truly effective unless we consider what it is in our society that creates a need for these drugs and unless we make sure that whatever action we initiate takes account of the effects of all these drugs together.

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