Through this course, students will learn about the emergence, patterns, and history of drugs and alcohol in the United States. By looking at key drug policies and the politicization of drugs in the 20th & 21st Century, we will take a closer look at how certain communities are disproportionately affected. Additionally, we will take a bio-psychological approach on the addictive nature of drugs and alcohol. Students will walk away with harm reduction strategies along with a clearer historical, social, and biological context of drug and alcohol use in the US.