Aleister Crowley on Drugs
International Journal for the Study of New Religions February 20, 2017 DOI: 10.1558/ijsnr.v7i2.31941 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Addiction Cannabis |
| Keywords | Hashish Heroin Occult Legislation Drug Criminology Law Alternative medicine |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | Argues that Crowley's drug use, particularly his heroin addiction, was a more important force in his life and work than has been acknowledged in prior scholarship. |
Abstract
While much has been written about the life, work and influence of Aleister Crowley, relatively little attention has been directed to his drug use. This is a little surprising because, not only did he become addicted to heroin, but he incorporated psychoactive substances in his occult work, discussed their psychological effects, commented on drug-related social issues, critiqued contemporary drug legislation, published drug literature, and even translated Charles Baudelaire’s "Poem of Hashish." This article discusses his thought on drugs and religious experience and suggests that they were, largely because of his addiction, a more important force in his life than has thus far been acknowledged.