In the years between 1969 and 1977, marijuana use alone had roughly tripled. What could have caused this rise in substance use? In “Decades of Drug Use: Data from the ‘60s and ‘70s”, Jennifer Robinson references statistics from the Gallup polls, noting, “In 1969, only 4% of American adults said they had tried marijuana” (Robinson). Later Robinson references the rise in usage stating, “In 1973, 12% of respondents to a Gallup poll said they had tried marijuana.  That number doubled by 1977” (Robinson). The psychedelic movement of the ’60s and ‘70s also brought with it the endorsement of dangerous drugs. Substance use during this time had rapidly increased, becoming alluring without being better understood. However, ‘70s musicians who had directly experienced the repercussions of these drugs have attempted to educate the public about these appalling consequences.

Steppenwolf’s 1969 song, “Snowblind Friend,” attempts to deglamorize drug use by telling the visceral story of finding a good friend dead who had succumbed to a drug overdose. This song highlights the reality of a drug addict's life, showing that it is less than desirable. The writer of the song, John Kay, shares this viewpoint with listeners by implicitly stating that drugs are often used as a shortcut to “feel good”, even if the consequences are irreversibly negative. He also warns listeners about the addictive nature of drugs. Kay compares drug use to a “Heaven”, a place or condition of utmost happiness, in an extended metaphor to explain how the “prayin’ was too slow” (Kay 12). The heaven described has a double meaning. He does this to magnify the idea that the subject of the song wants to feel good, as well as to convey that drugs may have lethal outcomes. In the second part of the line, he compares praying to the sort of work that would be necessary to kick a drug habit. The speaker longs to be alright but feels they cannot get there without drugs. Throughout this extended metaphor, Kay also uses allusion to suggest a religious relationship between an addict and drugs. This is done to point out the addictive hold that drugs have on a user, comparing it to the idea of religion being a pursuit to which someone attributes supreme importance. He tries to better society by cautioning listeners about the co-dependence that an addict can have with a drug. Using another extended metaphor, Kay thinks of addicts as “[buying] a one-way ticket on an airline made of snow” (Kay 13). He compares this “one-way ticket” to using drugs, meaning that they are the trade-off to get to “Heaven”, or the sublime high as stated in the previous lyric. This metaphor is extended in the second part of the line, using an airline, a fast mode of travel. If this airline is “made of snow”, it alludes to a drug like cocaine or white china heroin. This suggests the idea that drug use is an unpleasant, but quick way to feel short-term pleasure. Kay understands that this message is a dangerous one, so he attempts to get the listener to recognize that when using this shortcut, the risk of addiction and death is a constant reality.

Neil Young’s 1972 song, “The Needle and the Damage Done,” warns society about the dangerous and addictive properties of drugs. He tells his own account of how drugs have afflicted his life, causing the break up of his band, Crazy Horse, and refers to the people he’s lost to drug use. Young explicitly states his concern about the lack of understanding from the public saying he “Sing[s] this song because [he] love[s] the man”, and he “Know[s] that some of you don't understand” (Young 8-9). Here, he is commenting on the ignorance that a lot of people have toward drugs. It's commonly believed by most users that they are in control, or that they won’t succumb to addiction the way others do. He refutes this idea by using hyperbole. Young explicitly sets himself up as a reliable source, expressing that he has personally seen the ramifications of drug use. He tells listeners he's “Seen the needle and the damage done” (Young 10). This is likely done so society takes his warnings seriously. In the next line, Young explains that there’s a “Little part of it in everyone” (Young 11). He discloses that the potential to be addicted is at the core of human nature, regardless of how in control one feels. Addiction is not literally in everyone, but Young exaggerates to show that anyone is capable of imperfection. He also includes the use of a simile, comparing “A settin’ sun”, something pulchritudinous and fleeting, to a “junkie” (Young 12). Young uses this comparison to insinuate that an addict's life is short-lived, but the euphoric high that a user gets before death draws people in. 

In Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1977 song, ”What's That Smell,” they make an effort to warn that drugs are not a cure-all for one’s mental instability or problems. The story behind the song itself references a car accident involving Lynyrd Skynyrd’s guitarist, Gary Rossington. Rossington had driven into an oak tree while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Based on this story, Lynyrd Skynyrd speaks about the often fatal risks of substance abuse, personifying tomorrow. Most users believe they’ll “Be alright come tomorrow / But tomorrow might not be [there] for [them]” (Collins  19-20). In the first line, he explicitly states the shortsightedness of most users, communicating that people are often unaware of the danger in which they put themselves by using drugs. In the next line, Lynyrd Skynyrd compares the impermanence of an addict's life with someone who could abandon you. Tomorrow cannot literally desert you, but Lynyrd Skynyrd uses this figurative language to show the transience of a substance abuser’s life. In addition, the song also uses personification and implied metaphors to comment on an often-used phrase by drug addicts, most telling themselves that “One more fix might do the trick” (Collins 30). They compare drugs to a person who can “do a trick”, suggesting that his disposition is “broken” in some way, and someone needs to “fix” him. Lynyrd Skynyrd likely does this to represent the belief that some believe that they need drugs to feel better, relying on someone else, or substances in this case, to get them there. An implied metaphor is also used in the same lyric to signify that drugs are the sort of “patch” to fix his “broken” mood. The drugs aren't a literal patch, but Lynyrd Skynyrd uses this figurative language to insinuate that drugs can mend a person like a bandage can fix a wound. This line is also representative of the frequently used cliche, “just one more hit”. This is, in all probability, used to forewarn the audience that many people have surrendered to addiction, and the self-control they feel is irrelevant to the full repercussions drugs can have on one’s life. Later in the song, Lynyrd Skynyrd uses another implied metaphor to magnify the risks drug use has. They express that it’s “One hell of a price for you to get your kicks” (Collins 31). They compare taking drugs to a “price” to allude that you are having to give up something of value for the “kicks” Lynyrd Skynyrd describes. This line essentially describes that the consequences of trying to obtain a high are disastrous. They might be implying the physical or mental distress that comes with drug use, the disruption drugs can have on one’s future, or even withdrawal. Regardless, Lynyrd Skynyrd is attempting to warn society about the lethal effects drugs can have on a person.

Pink Floyd’s 1975 song, “Shine on You Crazy Diamond,” gives a specific example of the damage drugs can do by recounting the horrendous effects drugs had on Pink Floyd’s former band member, Syd Barrett. As Syd’s drug use became more transparent and frequent, his unstable mental health became more prominent. The band writes about Syd’s lost potential due to drug use, while at the same time informing society that drug use can heavily impact your future and have drastic effects on your life. The band uses an implied metaphor to describe this conflict, writing about Syd being “Caught in the crossfire of childhood and stardom” (Gilmour 5). The band writes this line to suggest an internal battle, comparing it to a war. The first part of the line also implies that there is a push and pull of directions. This is likely mentioning Syd’s struggle with substance abuse, causing him to feel conflicted. Later into the same lyric, the band uses a metaphor to compare Syd to being “blown on the steel breeze” (Gilmour 5). In this example, it can be understood that Syd feels out of control due to his addiction, as Pink Floyd chooses the word “blown” to describe Syd's substance abuse. It’s conceivable that he's chasing the euphoric highs he got from LSD, but struggles to maintain that satisfaction without drugs. Later in the song, the band speaks to Syd once more, telling him “[He] wore out [his] welcome with random precision, rode on the steel breeze” (Gilmour 12). The first section of the line refers to when Syd would stand on stage strumming the same chord over and over again. He had likely done this due to the neurological damage done from years of substance abuse. If something is being worn out, it suggests extreme tiredness. This concept can be applied to the members of Pink Floyd, as well as its fans, becoming increasingly tired of Syd’s behavior, causing him to no longer be “welcome” on stage. In the second part of the lyric, they instead use the word “rode” to represent Syd’s descent into addiction. He had endured irreversible consequences due to drug dependency, and this song highlights the slippery slope of substance use to abuse. The song betters society by erring caution. 

Although drug use had become acceptable and normalized widespread, 70’s musicians combated this dangerous ideology with messages in their music. The artists who had personally seen the aftermath of substance abuse shared similar ideas about how drugs can ruin people’s futures, have you fall into a hole of mental instability, and cause fatality. Due to the reach that these artists had, they were able to positively influence society with their music. If their messages had not gone out, it’s quite plausible that society could have looked very different, taking a darker turn than it had.