The War on Drugs: The History of Alcohol Part 1The War on Drugs: The History of Alcohol Part 1
Addict II Athlete Podcast
Coach Blu Robinson traces alcohol’s long journey from ancient fermentation to Prohibition and modern harm, linking history, policy and addiction. The episode sets up a wider series on the war on drugs while questioning how and why alcohol holds such a powerful place in society.
47:43•5 Aug 2025
From Sacred Brew to Social Crisis: The Long Story of Alcohol with Coach Blu
Episode Overview
- Alcohol began as an accidental, mysterious fermentation used for ritual, bonding, medicine and nutrition rather than as a social problem.
- Across centuries, alcohol became woven into trade, empire-building, slavery, seafaring life and everyday culture, functioning as both comfort and currency.
- Rising harm, especially among the urban poor and families, fuelled temperance campaigns and Prohibition, driven strongly by women’s advocacy and religious groups.
- Prohibition reduced legal supply but supercharged illegal markets, showing how bans on popular substances can feed organised crime and later drug cartels.
- Blu argues that any intoxication comes with a cost in availability, connection and health, and that focusing on why people use substances matters more than tighter laws.
“Alcohol was not just a drink then. It was also, you know, currency and cargo, and, you know, it helped build the empires and shape the economics and the communities and the Americas.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? Coach Blu Robinson reckons one big clue lies in the very long story of alcohol itself. This Addict II Athlete episode kicks off a multi-part series on the so-called "war on drugs" by tracing alcohol from its earliest days to modern policy and harm. Blu doesn’t just list dates and laws; he paints scenes.
You’ll hear about a woman in 7000 BC China carefully fermenting rice, honey and fruit to bring her community together, pirate crews clinging to rum as "a shield against the sea's relentless uncertainty," and a fictional Abigail Turner standing on the town steps, giving voice to the real temperance movement that pushed America into Prohibition. Blu explains how alcohol shifted from ritual, medicine and nutrition to daily staple, economic engine and, eventually, social problem.
He tracks key eras – ancient China and the Middle East, seafaring empires, the gin craze, whiskey on the American frontier, the slave trade, and industrial-scale brewing. As he puts it, "Alcohol was not just a drink then.
It was also, you know, currency and cargo, and, you know, it helped build the empires and shape the economics and the communities and the Americas." From there, he connects Prohibition, organised crime, and today’s drug cartels, suggesting that banning popular substances tends to create lucrative black markets rather than safer communities.
He also brings it right up to date with stats on alcohol-related deaths, traffic fatalities, and underage drinking, before sharing why he believes any intoxication comes with a trade-off in real-life availability and connection. This one suits anyone in recovery, anyone questioning their drinking, and anyone curious about how a "beautiful" ancient elixir became the most abused substance on the planet. It might just make you ask: what exactly are you using alcohol for?
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