We are all addicted

Organised religions and drug prohibition have quite a few similarities: both suffer from old men arbitrarily deciding what’s right and wrong, both have little to do with the activities of normal people, both rely on people just going with the crowd and both ultimately do more harm than good.

What is the point of drug prohibition?

If we, as a society, actually wanted to protect our health then we wouldn’t celebrate the single most dangerous drug — alcohol — while criminalising far less harmful drugs — let’s say pot — . Problem is that we do exactly that. Because collectively we are bloody morons.

But even the most dangerous drug is no match against sugar. Considering the body count and the costs to society, sugar is way more harmful than alcohol; it’s probably even outdoing most minor wars. Still, it is hardly ever considered a drug because we have quite arbitrary rules on what counts as a drug and what doesn’t.

Let’s go through some numbers: Of the 10 most common causes of death in the USA sugar is contributing to 4:

Diabetes (Nr 7) is almost directly linked to sugar.

Since sugar is also increasing cholesterol in the blood heart diseases (Nr 1) and strokes (Nr 4) also gain from sugar.

Various studies also hint that sugar is increasing chances of certain cancers (Nr 2).

However, sugar might reduce suicide rates (Nr 10), so it redeems itself to some tiny degree.

The total amount of people killed by those 4 issues is around 1.3 Million. Alcohol related deaths are around 90,000. Even if sugar has only a remote effect on the 4 biggest killers it will outdo alcohol (and that is not even considering obesity problems). Which might not even be that hard, because virtually everyone is addicted to sugar.

Everyone is addicted to sugar.

Drugs have been part of humanity since the first person figured out how much fun they were. Though, nothing fun can remain fun in excess (with the possible exception of sex), making moderation a pretty virtuous trait. Surprisingly, that can actually work: alcohol consumption decreased in both the UK and USA during the last decade, smoking went down as well. Self-harming behaviour can be reduced if there is enough pressure.

Sugar consumption went the exact other way: US citizens in the 1820s ate less than 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of sugar a year, the average person today eats over 100 pounds per year (45kg). Sugar itself is not dangerous and like most drugs quite fun. The problems only start when entire societies start putting it in everything: anything readymade, sodas, any kind of sauce, most coffees, canned fruits, fruit juices, alcohol and energy drinks, cereals and basically anything that claims to be fat free contains sugar; unless you make a conscious effort you probably eat a ton of sugar daily.

Especially children consume lots of sugar through cereals, sweets, fruit juices and soda which gets sugar the title alcohol of childhood. Just like any other drug: damages to children are far worse than to adults. And considering how much sugar they consume it becomes very gloomy for the future. In fact, a whole generation of addicts is raised which is perfect for firms worshipping the gods of consumerism but quite horrifying for anything else.

Sugar most certainly is a drug: it floods the brain with dopamine; a tolerance is constructed if you consume more of it and withdrawal symptoms are a distinct possibility. For your brain sugar is just like any other drug only with a slightly lower intensity. Rats actually seem to prefer sugar to cocaine when given the choice.

This leads to one question: Why don’t we ban it?

So sugar is doing drug-like things to your brain and unpleasant things to your body, it kills lots of people and is particularly bad to children. Each reason on its own would be enough for at least some limitation; however, just like with guns in the USA, problems are ignored because of habits, convenience and a strong lobby. Just ask yourself when you last ate chocolate, sugary coffee or cake the last time. Is it more than 30 minutes?

Speaking of coffee: it’s a drug. Testing that claim is quite easy: just hide the coffee machine in any facility during the morning (wouldn’t recommend it though unless you want to experience a zombie apocalypse). Coffee works like cocaine, just less intense. It does wake you up, though you will build up a resistance and thus you will need increasing amounts of it. Side effects of consuming lots of coffee regularly fill the entire spectrum of feeling shit: insomnia, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, ulcers, ringing in the ears and possibly even more serious stuff like irregular heartbeats. (Not to mention that there are lots of healthy alternatives)

Here is the fundamental problem: sugar and coffee are so dangerous because they have become the new normal. They are so widespread that they are essentially invisible to society. And firms rely on this ignorance to sell more unhealthy food. Unfortunately, biology is not so easily tricked and the health costs caused are about to become astronomical.

Ultimately, the drug prohibition policy we have to endure right now is a pile of rubbish. Either all drugs are allowed and everyone gets a chance to figure out his most preferable way of ruining his life or we actually start talking about protecting health and tackle alcohol, sugar and coffee. Anything in between is drawing an arbitrary line.