Heroin/Smack Term Analysis

An opioid drug known for its euphoric effects. Heroin, or smack, is usually injected into a vein, has an immediate onset, and is incredibly addictive. Duke and Gonzo don’t use heroin in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but Duke closely examines the shifting national trend from psychedelic drugs like LSD and mescaline, to heavy, more dangerous drugs like heroin. Duke claims that the Drug Culture is moving toward drugs like heroin, which he calls “downers,” to cope with the corruption and violence of American society and Nixon’s notoriously crooked presidency. “It is worth noting, historically,” Duke says, “that downers came in with Nixon.”