R. K. Siegel
About R.K. Siegel
There is the book "Intoxication: The Universal Drive for Mind-Altering Substances" (1989, 2005) by R.K. Siegel.
The book "Paranoia The Possessed People" has an impressive layout:
I picked up the book again and read the obituary for R.K. Siegel in the LA Times, April 3, 2019.
https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-ronald-siegel-dead-20190403-story.html
Sum up:
Ronald K. Siegel, a prominent psychopharmacologist, passed away on March 24, 2019, at age 76 due to Alzheimer’s complications. A UCLA professor for over 20 years, he studied psychoactive substances and argued that the human drive for intoxication is as fundamental as hunger or sex. His book Intoxication explored this "fourth drive" across species and cultures. Siegel also contributed to drug policy discussions and served as an expert witness in legal cases. Known for his groundbreaking research, he maintained that the war on drugs was futile, as intoxication is deeply rooted in human nature
This marked the beginning of Siegel's career, dedicated to studying the cultural extremes of drug use. He lectured across the U.S., worked on presidential commissions, and translated works like Priestess of Morphine into English. His research took him to Czechoslovakia, where he studied insects consuming cannabis, and to Maui, where he observed buffalo chewing jimsonweed.
Contrary to the belief that only humans deliberately intoxicate themselves, Siegel demonstrated that nearly all animal species seek intoxicants. Personally, he rarely used drugs and preferred coffee, emphasizing that the drive for intoxication is universal and timeless.
The photo in the obituary shows not only R.K. Siegel but also an interesting poster posted.
