10th March 2005, 3:46 PM
Quote:There is, of course, a reason why pot can be illegal while tobacco and alcohol cannot be, and that is the phenomenons of smoking cigs and drinking hooch were very well established before the United States existed. Since pot smoking didn't catch on until well after, the government was able to illegalize it early on, never allowing it the mainstream appeal smokes and drinks enjoy. That's why prohibition on those items will never happen, but can and do with pot. It's always been clandestine, and therefore, most people don't care that its illegal since pot smokers are a small minority.
You hit the hammer right on the head. The government illegalized pot during the Temperance Era, shortly after alcohol was relegalized, if I'm not mistaken. Even more interesting, the government made the plant illegal under false and racist terms. Harry Anslinger, the newly elected first drug czar of America, claimed that marijuana was used by dangerous minorities- mexicans and black men and jazz musicians who worship the devil and use it to seduce white women. He claimed it made people go psychotic, gain super strength, feel an insatiable, aggressive, uncontrollable sex drive, and countless other completely unfounded allegations.
If anyone wants to learn more about the history of pot, I recommend the documentary "Grass". It's a great film, very entertaining and informative, although admittedly, it's obvious that the film isn't 100% objective. Instead, its tone is slanted towards pro-marijuana legislation. It's facts are straight, though, and even better, it's narrated by Woody Harrelson. :)