When one thinks of drug legislation, they immediately think of our government watching out for our well-being, and goodwill. Upon examining the history of anti-drug policy by the United States Government, it becomes evident that ulterior motives such as racism, revenue, and political influence lay behind drug laws and regulations. In examining our nation’s history further, one cannot find any real truth to most claims as far as the extent of damage that drugs were causing America. In fact, exploration of the effects of drug restriction reveals that these laws actually made drug related problems worse for America. Envision life in the mid 1800s. For a farmer, who works hard all day in the field, and his wife who is suffering from her monthly ailment, not to mention their teething child, “Mr. Magoo’s Secret Elixir” provides a nice relief to the daily aches resulting from his hard work and the repetitive pains of being a nineteenth century housewife. This traditional American family looks forward to a peaceful evening spent with Mr. Magoo. Another example; the big city banker’s wife, who also has a teething child, and a monthly visitor, quietly seeks relief with a home-cooked recipe from her downtown pharmacy. Her husband also enjoys its soothing effect after a stressful day at the bank. A final example, Dr. Whitehead, late in the 1800s uses his handcrafted concoction to mellow himself after a taxing day of founding Johns Hopkins Medical School. In growing numbers of cases like these, our federal government found a threat to our nation’s prosperity, or did it.In the western coast, opium use was prevalent in “opium dens” typically owned by the Chinese. The first laws banning drug use restricted use in only these houses and dens, yet allowed individuals to smoke at home, or in public. The onset of these laws, which passed throughout Nevada initially, and in other states quickly fo...
