Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects.

Arnold H. Glasow was best known for compact, aphoristic observations circulated in mid‑20th‑century American quotation columns, calendars, and collections of “thoughts” and “humor.” This line belongs to that tradition of practical, morale-boosting maxims that frame everyday emotions in the language of modern life—here, the vocabulary of medicine and pharmaceuticals. Rather than arising from a single speech or dramatic occasion, the remark is typically encountered as a standalone epigram attributed to Glasow, aimed at readers seeking encouragement about stress, worry, and the value of humor as a coping mechanism.

Glasow’s aphorism treats laughter as a kind of medicine: it calms agitation and relieves stress the way a tranquilizer might, but without the chemical “side effects” associated with drugs. The line plays on mid‑20th‑century faith in pharmaceuticals while gently critiquing overreliance on them, proposing humor as a safer, universally available remedy. It also implies that laughter’s benefits are both psychological and social—by interrupting spirals of fear or anger and restoring perspective, it can de-escalate conflict and make hardship more bearable. The claim is intentionally absolute (“no side effects”), a rhetorical exaggeration that underscores the value Glasow places on levity as a coping strategy.