‘Cultural fraud’: the role of culture in drug abuse

Abstract

The research literature on the social determinants of health focuses on socio-economic inequalities and disadvantage. 'Culture' is usually seen as part of this picture of difference--associated with minority status, ethnicity or race; but we also need to address the role of dominant or mainstream cultures in health and well-being. Cultures provide the underlying assumptions of an entire way of life, allowing us to make sense of the world and our lives. This paper argues that aspects of modern western culture are a potent and under-estimated social factor behind drug use and abuse. It draws on a wide range of evidence from different disciplines to suggest that Western culture's emphasis on the material and the individual, in particular, amounts to 'cultural fraud': the promotion of images and ideals of life that do not meet human needs or reflect social realities. This failure is conducive to diminished well-being, including addiction to drug use or other behaviours.