One of the most controversial aspects in Rats Saw God is the casual use of drugs and alcohol by the characters. Smoking dope does not destroy Steve's life although readers see that it is not without cost. But smoking dope does not lead him to harder drugs, does not cause him to have unsafe sex, or result in him splattering his brains like an egg in a frying pan as all the drug prevention adds proclaim. Characters also drink, but they do not crash their cars, they do not become alcoholics, and they do not ruin their lives. Thomas told Shoemaker, "[If] you have this sort of Reefer Madness mentality—a kid takes a hit of marijuana and suddenly he's homicidal or suicidal— you're begging to have a kid close your book. He knows you're full of it." At the same time he admits...