The Great Binge – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Great Binge is a 21st-century neologism, coined by amateur historian Gradus Protus van den Belt, describing the period in history covering roughly 1870 to 1914.^[1] It is so known because of the widespread use and availability of narcotics such as opium, heroin, cocaine, morphine, and absinthe.^[1] During this period these drugs were widely available and incredibly popular among both men and women of many social classes in many parts of the world.^[1] They were marketed to both adults and children, often included in patent medicines such as cough syrups, pain relievers, and asthma medicines.^[2] They were administered to infants and women with menstrual cramps, and included in food and beverages such as Coca-Cola.^[2] Literary characters such as Sherlock Holmes were portrayed using morphine and cocaine.^[1] Holmes is described as having a particular penchant for overt injections of a 7% solution of cocaine, though only when lacking adequate mental stimulation.

The period ended with a series of laws regulating narcotic drugs in various countries and internationally. The International Opium Convention, signed in The Hague in 1912 by 11 countries and entering into force in 1915, was the first stab at a comprehensive drug control treaty internationally and inspired domestic drug control laws such as the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act in the United States.^[3]