Channel: David Hoffman

Category: People & Blogs

Tags: narcotics anonymouslsd tripbaby boomer drugsdrug use in high schoolslsd historydrug abuse prevention videosdrug hallucinationdrug abuse awareness video for students1960s drug documentaryhigh school student documentarypsychedelic mushroomsdrug abusestudent drug abuseuppersnarcotics anonymous speaker tapesdrug abuse programsdavid hoffman filmmakerdrug addiction recoverydrug usedrug user interview1960s hippies19691969 high school

Description: this is a locally made documentary that shows members of the national organization (I don't know which one) formed to get kids high school students to stop taking drugs – LSD – pills – cocaine – uppers. Back in the late 1960 drug use and abuse was a big problem, especially in high schools and colleges. Young people involved at that time who had been through drug experiences that turned very ugly formed organizations with the belief that young people who had been through it could most effectively influence other young people to avoid what they had been through. Back then I was making documentaries on the drug issue and a fellow filmmaker sent me this clip. I apologize for the less than stellar quality of it. My experiences were memorable. As you walked the streets of many major cities (for me it was New York and Boston) you saw burned-out drug abusers. Some without shoes. Some just wandering aimlessly. Some on amphetamines making them quick to overreact, sometimes violently. It was scary and it was sad. About halfway into this video, a woman speaks to an audience about creating locally based self-help. Her belief was that those in charge - school boards and teachers & government people could not influence young people as well as young people could influence young people. She was traveling the country trying to start local drug prevention clubs that also helped young drug abusers get straight. Many high school and college students distrusted government (they had good reasons) and what the government said about drugs and instead were listening to local drug pushers who were very often students in those schools. Looked at more than 50 years later, the subject is still relevant. I find that sad. Join my channel and get access to my perks: youtube.com/channel/UC6wBro4B4pf9xnBh9Xi2zcQ/join