The control of fuddle and flash : a sociological history of the regulation of alcohol and opiates A historical and comparative overview describing the regulations of the use of alcohol and drugs (opiates) in the USA the UK and the Netherlands. It explains the conditions causes and consequences of the various regulatory regimes and provides insights into their political economy Taxonomy of intoxicants The supply side: alcohol The supply side: opiates The colonial opium trade Excise taxes on alcohol: three countries Physicians as suppliers Industrialization and the war on alcohol Physicians as detoxifiers The dynamics of prohibition and illegal supply Summary and conclusions