I believe a majority of the drug legislation we have today is a direct result of racism. Opium became associated with the Chinese during their mass immigration in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and cocaine and marijuana became associated with Latinos and blacks. Fears abounded that such heathens were ruining all the pretty innocent white women and laws were thus enacted to criminalize drugs. (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
Quote:
Persons having a light complexion are much more easily influenced by it than those having a dark complexion. A delicate female, having light blue eyes and flaxen hair, possesses, according to my observations the maximum susceptibility.” -H.H. Kane
Quote:
Most of the attacks upon white women of the South are the direct result of the cocaine-crazed Negro brain. -Dr. Christopher Koch, testifying to Congress in 1914
Konrad_III replied: "I think this may focus a little too much on the USA to be true. We're talking about a universal acceptance to fight off drugs here, not simply the USA and its problems with racism, etc.", to which I said:
That wasn't confined to the US. In Australia, it was racism towards the aborigines. In Canada, it was fear of the same folks the US feared. Like the US, Britain too feared the "Yellow Peril".
Dr. Hamilton Wright, one of the key guys promoting the racist view of cocaine? Headed the US delegation of the International Opium Commission that was a first major step towards international drug prohibition. Bishop Charles Henry Brent was the other racist US delegate promoting prohibition.
I'm sure there were real concerns about the health of ALL people, but racism was certainly a factor, internationally.
