Ancient History and the
Origins of Drug Use
Indeed, all sorts of drugs - including many that
are still used today - have been illegal throughout history
(even chocolate!) But nothing that even comes close in comparison
to today. And, quite often, it was more about money than drugs.
This part has little difference with today. History shows us
that this, much like many other issues (such as abortion), has
little to do with life and far more to do with money and power.
When we deal with ancient history prohibition isn't much of
an issue. Although there is a mention here or there, this is
mainly the ancient history of drugs. The key here is the lack
of such mentions.
I will go far more in depth in the use of drugs
in the distant past as opposed to how they are used today, simply
because we know how they are used today (or will, when I post
my diary, if you don't,) and because this is a diary about history,
after all.
While much of the distant history is due to archeological
evidence, simply because proof is virtually impossible when
we go back this far, most of it is pretty indisputed. The specifics,
of course, can not be assumed to be perfect, especially the
dates, of which I have found much conflicting information, especially
regarding alcohol. This is an informational piece, not a historical
document.
Opium
What was the first "recreational" drug?
[read: drug used for non-medicinal purposes, see Drug Prohibition:
a Primer on Drugs from my vantage point, for this as well as
some basics such as "what is a drug"]. As far as we
can tell, it was likely Opium, although it could have possibly
been alcohol, we really can't say. I doubt we'll ever know with
100% certainty. However, opium was the first medicinal drug
without a doubt, and was used for both "recreation"
and medicinally to allieve pain. Opium comes from the ripe head
(pod), the fruit, of the Opium Poppy, Opium Thebaicum as called
by Egypt, later evolved and currently called Papaver Somniferum
- which is considered a weed (much likely marijuana.) The pod
is sliced in a particular way and the juice, raw opium, flows
out, as seen in the picture to the right. The juice ("milk")
is let to harden and then crudely processed to form opium (the
product), as seen to the far right. It is a substance that is
smoked, mixed into alcohol (laudanum), or occasionally made
into tea or directly eaten (not very effective, yet that was
how it was used in ancient times), and quite simply causes euphoria
and relief of pain. While opiates do relieve pain, they also
(what I would consider more significantly) make pain either
irrelevant or even pleasurable. The word Opium stems from Greek,
from the word opion, meaning "Poppy Juice". But that's
not what it was always called.
Opium first surfaced, as far as can be descerned,
in Sumeria as far back as 6000 BC, likely 5000 BC, and more
verifiably from 3400 BC. The Sumerians called the Opium Poppy
"Hul Gil," which means "joy plant." They
would eventually, by around 3400 BC, pass it on to the Assyrians.
The Assyrians would then pass it on to the Babylonians, who
would then pass it on to the Egyptians. In 1300 BC opium flourishes
in Ancient Egypt's famous poppy fields, and the opium trade
begins, including the Greeks, Carthage, and Europe. It was widely
used in both Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece throughout their
histories, including before the peaks of their respective civilizations.
In 400 BC, Hippocrates (of Greece), the "father
of modern medicine" (whom the Hippocratic Oath doctors
take today comes from,) acknowledged the usefulness of opium
in medicine, as a narcotic (for pain, the word narcotic while
today often means any illicit drug really means opiate), and
for treating internal diseases mostly as a styptic (to stop
bleeding.) However, he dismissed it's "magical attributes"
- the people then thought of it as a spiritual agent, very likely
with a very high reputation.
In 330 BC, Alexander the Great (of Greece/Macedonia)
introduced opium to India and Persia. It was introduced to China
in 400 AD by Arab traders. Opium was now abundant in virtually
every civilization.
Alcohol
Shortly after the Opium Poppy's earliest uses,
if not virtually concurrent or even earlier, as I said, we see
the first use of Alcohol - wine, and shortly thereafter beer
(fermented beverages.) Much like opium, it has it's roots in
plants (a pre-requisite for ancient history), and also much
like opiates, even still today, requires plants to create (at
least in any way that's edible.) The very first uses of alcohol
in almost any civilization was the consumtion of rotten grapes.
Alcohol is different than opium in that it doesn't
require a specific plant, thus it's early uses were hard to
gauge. It was used in Babylon and Sumeria by 4000 BC, likely
earlier, and Egypt likely around 5000 BC, verifiably by 3500
BC. The Jews also used alcohol (wine), namely in Egypt, and
it is clearly written in the bible - not that the bible can
be considered objective historical fact. However it's mentions
clearly indicates it did, in fact, exist and was used. Alcohol
could perhaps be considered some of the earliest chemistry -
albeit accidentally and not understood. By 2000 BC, alcohol
(beer and wine) was a central aspect of trade in the mediterranian.
The clear difference between alcohol and opium
was, for one, the extent of it's use - it was used then as it
is now. For two, it's use was more widespread and used more
socially, and for three, it was more abused. There were pubs/taverns
dating at least as far back as 3000 BC, probably more.
The first known written mention of alcohol was
in the Law Code of the Hammurabi (Babylon), 1700 BC:
(the wine trade was the job of women, and this was extremely
low-class work.)
"If a female seller of date-wine with seasame
has not accepted corn as the price of drink, but silver by the
full weight has been accepted, and has made the price of drink
less than the price of corn, then the wine-seller shall be prosecuted
and thrown into the water." (Paragraph 108)
"If rebels meet in the house of a wine-seller and she does
not seize them and take them to the palace, that wine-seller
shall be slain." (Paragraph 109)
"If a priestess who has not remained in the convent shall
open a wine-shop, or enter a wine-shop for drink, that woman
shall be burned." (Paragraph 110)
Sounds lovely, doesn't it? Women, and the low-class,
were clearly nothing more than vermin in Babylon.
Alcohol was used for medicinal purposes, as they
had little alternatives back then. It was first mentioned in
this regard in Sumerian and Egyptian texts dated from 2100 BC
or even earlier.
With alcohol, we see the earliest record of prohibitionist
teachings. Where? You guessed it - religion. In 2000 BC, an
Egyptian
priest writes to a pupil: "I, thy superior, forbid thee
to go to the taverns. Thou art degraded like beasts."
Wine was also used quite heavily in Ancient Greece,
and was a standard part of breakfast. In Rome, as well, by 1000
BC was a standard part of a Roman Diet. However, in both situations,
they drank their wine watered down. By around 800 BC, alcohol
was verifably all over the (known) globe.
In the fifth century BC, Plato was the first to
verifiably outline what was proper use of alcohol (regulation.)
His outline was never law, however, much like the Republic.
His outline forbade alcohol for those under 18, only in moderation
for those under 30, and no limits on those older than 40.
Then, finally, we see some bible references to
alcohol. Some are positive, others are negative.
Positive References:
(350 B.C.) Proverbs 31:6-7: "Give strong
drink to him who is perishing,
and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget
their
poverty, and remember their misery no more."
Astounding, huh?
(250 BC) Psalms 104:14-15: "Thou dost cause
grass to grow for the
cattle and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth
food from
the earth, and wine to gladden the heart of man."
Negative References:
(250 BC) Proverbs 23:29-35 Too much to quote here,
but the entirety of it describes a drunk with strange visions,
a short temper, and bloodshot eyes.
Cannabis (aka Marijuana)
Marijuana originated in China in 6000 BC. But,
most likely, not as a drug. It's seeds were used as food. By
4000 BC, it's excellent use for making rope was discovered,
and it was used extensively for this purpose [and eventually
paper, and even fuel], and by 3000 BC it was also used for this
purpose in Turkestan. It very quickly spread all over the world.
When exactly cannabis started to be used for "recreational"
[read: spiritual and medicinal] reasons, one cannot say for
certain. It could even predate alcohol and opium. It's even
a bit pompous of me to assume to know which came first of these
three substances - in fact some tribe in South America could
have discovered some mind-altering substance before the East
did (which we will soon talk about.)
The first recorded use of cannabis as a drug was
in China in 2727 BC, recorded as a medicinal herb used for a
plethora of ailments. It was used medicinally all over the globe
as a virtual panacea, and as a central spiritual agent, throughout
history starting from this point. In 1500 BC, the Chinese begin
to cultivate cannabis.
One of the first cultures that cannabis spread
to was India. 'Bhang' (dried cannabis leaves, seeds, and stems)
is mentioned in the Hindu sacred text 'Atharva veda' (Science
of Charms) as "Sacred Grass", listed as one of the
five sacred plants of India. It is used by medicinally and spiritually,
and was often an offering to the sacred Hindu God Shiva. In
around 700 BC The 'Zoroastrian Zend-Avesta', an extremely large
Persian religious text, said to have been written by Zarathustra,
refers to 'bhang' as Zarathustra's "good narcotic".
At around the same time it's use spread to Scythian Tribes.
Cannabis was used as a drug mostly by consuming 'Bhang', mixed
with other flavorings such as honey. Smoking is something that
was not learned for a long time.
In 500 BC, cannabis is introduced to Northern
Europe by the Scythians, and it's use spreads throughout Europe.
It was used heavily for it's
values as both a drug and for it's other uses, all over Eastern
Civilization. Writing the details of every single civilization
is unnecessary and
beyond the scope of this diary. By the turn of the century,
it will also spread to Rome, moreso as a medicine.
For further reading on this subject Hempology 101 - Cannabis
in History is an excellent resource.
Other Drugs in Ancient
History
While the first written account of caffeine was
the first mention of tea in a Chinese Dictionary in 350AD, it
surely was used long before then, supposedly originating in
3000BC. Coffee, as well, was clearly used well into ancient
history - so far, it may predate modern man by hundreds of thousands
of years. Coffee's first reference was by Homer, who spoke(wrote)
of a mysterious black and bitter beverage with the power to
ward off sleep. This was around 900BC, predating the written
mention of coffee, but it was yet to be written. Several Arabian
legends of the time spoke of the same. But Coffee was not yet
something that would take off.
Many other drugs were surely used in ancient times,
most notably by the Chinese and Native Americans. All sorts
of plants and herbs were used by the ancients, some which did
have some sort of effect - and some which did not. It is doubtful
any of these were "recreational" drugs, however. In
2737 BC Emporer Shen Nung of China was attributed with discovering
the medicinal uses of thousands of plants, but no written record
exists from this period - not like much of this period does
(have written record.) One of the oldest known complete books
describes the medicinal uses of hundreds of plants, including
a recommendation for the opium poppy to induce sleep, the Ebers
Papyrus from Egypt.
For a complete list of psychoactive plants that
are still known today, including their origins and histories,
see Erowid Psychoactive Plants Vault.
Meanwhile, in the Americas
I am finding an extreme amount of difficulty finding
any relevant history on this topic. It all seems to begin when
we entered their lives. Whether this is due to a lack of information,
or the fact that we just don't care, I don't know. I hope it's
the former. Perhaps it's my ignorance in lumping all "Native
Americans" together.
The Native Americans used a myriad of drugs (all
natural, of course,) moreso for medicinal reasons and for spiritual
reasons than for actual recreational use, although this did
occur. They also eventually had alcohol, and the Aztecs, quite
important to note, discouraged alcohol use among the young -
young being anyone under seventy! However, this was way beyond
ancient history, occuring by the 14th century (AD) when their
civilization sprouted. They were still isolated from Eastern
Civilization, however.
The Native Americans gave us at least four different
currently used "recreational" drugs: coca leaves (and
thus cocaine), tobacco, hallucinogenic mushroom, and peyote
(hallucinogenic cactus). I need to at least mention these drugs,
as they were used for thousands of years before we arrived.
Coca Leaves
The first evidence of the use of coca leaves,
the plant precursor for cocaine (the active ingredient in coca
leaves), which comes from the Erythroxylum coca plant (as well
as 17 other species containing lesser quantities of cocaine),
like poppies/opium are to heroin/morphine (morphine is the active
ingredient in opium), appeared in Ecuador occuring in 3000 BC.
Coca leaves were chewed, like chewing tobacco, causing a feeling
of energy and power. It very quickly spread throughout South
America, and was considered a gift from the gods (much like
the other drugs were.) It's effects were often used as a tool,
to combat "mountain sickness" and provide energy for
labor. It also is useful as a local anesthetic, and until recently
was still used for that purpose. The use of coca leaves continued
until we arrived, and large plantations were operated by the
Incas in Peru in the 14th century.
Tobacco
Many Native Americans did not consider tobacco
a gift from god, unlike other drugs, although it had sacred
origins. The story
is quite interesting, so I will share it. I believe this story
is from North American folklore. A long time ago, in the time
when
the spirits still considered the world good enough for their
occasional residence, a very powerful spirit lit a fire in a
forest and laid down to sleep. While he was sleeping, his arch-enemy
happened to pass him, and thought it was a good chance for mischief.
He rolled him towards the glowing embers remaining of the fire
slowly, until his hair set ablaze. The sound of the fire roused
him from sleep, and he ran through the forest in fright. As
he did so, the wind caught his singed hair and sent it flying
across the Earth and into the ground and took root. And from
his singed hair sprouted tobacco.
There is much to be said about the second most
popular drug of all time - tobacco, but most of it does not
occur here.
According to what I have read, experts believe that the tobacco
plant did not start growing until 6000 BC. Tobacco was central
to a Native American's life, as was their pipe, which they were
oftentimes buried with. And with tobacco came what was likely
the first acts of smoking - before smoking, drugs were simply
eaten. By the beginning of AD, tobacco was all over North and
South America.
Hallucinogenic Mushrooms & Hallucinogenic
Cactus (Peyote)
We reach the final topic here, hallucinogenic
mushrooms and peyote - which were extremely different from any
other drugs currently known to man. They produce an extremely
strong hallucinogenic effect - what is called a "trip"
in modern times. Needless to say, Native Americans considered
them to be a spiritual tool, a way to communicate with the gods.
Peyote was used by 1000 BC in tribes in Texas and Mexico, where
the cactus grew naturally. Mushroom use began at the same time,
and tribes in Guatemala and Mexico built temples to the mushroom
gods and carve "mushroom stones." Ritual use of these
substances continued without issue until, once again, we entered
into their lives.
I know I described the roots of drugs in quite some depth, but
I cannot continue to describe every single thing that happened
along the way. For further reading for those who are interested,
I point you to Erowid.
Enter Religion; Early Examples of Prohibition ('religion'
as the word is used today: synonymous with monotheism.)
Drug Use continued as nothing more than a footnote.
Civilizations rose and civilizations fell, and knowledge and
use of certain drugs went with them. Then came Christianity,
Islam, and Modern Europe. With monotheism came some of the first
forms of prohibition. Judaism, however, seemed to have little
problems with drugs - in fact, in the Talmud (Abel 1980), not
only by the 17th century the 'medicinal properties of the plant
[cannabis] were fairly well known to the medical profession',
but it acknowledged it's euphoriant properties as well.
The Qur'an, however, banned alcohol, as interpreted
by several passages claimed to be dating back to the 7th century,
however it's ban was little heeded. Wine was often sold by Christian
Shop-Keepers. And while the ban is often interpreted to be against
all recreational drugs, many Arab cultures continued (and still
continue) to smoke hashish, which was extremely popular among
Arabs. Early interpretations of Christianity found no such ban,
but smoking hash was nonetheless considered something 'heretic'
and not commonly practiced. In fact, in the 11th and 12th centuries,
one of the first barbaric practices of prohibition was established.
Due to religious intolerance, a campaign was launched by Egypt
against the hash eating Sufis, burning their fields and publicly
tourturing them. You will clearly notice a pattern with religious
or ethnic intolerance and prohibition.
One of the biggest examples of early prohibition
was during the Inquisitions, crusades by Catholics to convert,
and destroy, "heretics". From around 1300-1500, Opium
disappeared from historical record for Europe. It was considered
from the East, and anything from the East was associated with
the devil. However, it's use grew in the East, including among
soldiers stationed there. During the 1500s, Portuguese traders
along the East China Sea were the first to initiate the smoking
of Opium, which packed a much bigger punch - and an instantaneous
one. The Chinese did not like it, and considered the practice
barbaric and subversive. At around 1700, the Dutch added the
pipe to the equation.
In 1527 during the height of the Reformation,
opium is finally reintroduced into European medical literature
by Paracelsus as laudanum. In 1680 the English apothecary Thomas
Sydenham introduces 'Sydenham's Laudanum', a compound of opium,
sherry wine and herbs. His pills along with others of the time
become popular remedies for numerous ailments. He said "Among
the remedies which it has pleased the Almighty God to give to
man to relieve his sufferings, none is so universal and efficacious
as opium." In the early 1600s, opium use blossomed in Persia
and India. In India they even gave Opium to their soldiers to
increase their courage. We will return to Opium shortly.
In a 1484 Pope Innocent VIII banned the use of
cannabis. It was considered a move against the Arabs, assisting
the Spanish Inquisition. Coffee almost suffered the same fate,
but Pope Clement VIII allowed its use, declaring that it was
"so delicious that it would be a pity to let the infidels
have exclusive use of it." Coffee was the victim of numerous
bans in the Arab world, considered in conflict with Muslim law,
but eventually prevailed.
In 1492 the New World was discovered (officially,) and with
it all the drugs that were listed a moment ago. While coca leaves
didn't really take in Europe, possibly due to a significant
loss of potency over the long voyage, tobacco was a boon. Columbus
himself brought tobacco back to Europe (along with chocolate),
it was one of the offerings from the Native Americans. America
was literally built on tobacco. The initial colonial expansion
in America was fueled by the desire to increase tobacco production,
and African Slaves were brought for this purpose. African Slaves
in sugar plantations in Brazil, along with others for sure,
brought cannabis along with them, and were allowed to plant
it between the rows of cane and smoke it between harvests.
The importation of tobacco into Europe was not
without resistance, but there was no prohibition. King James
I of England published a famous essay, 'A Counterblaste to Tobacco',
in 1604. The King denounced tobacco "[a] custome lothsome
to the eye, hatefull to the Nose, harmefull to the braine, dangerous
to the Lungs, and in the blacke stinking fume thereof, neerest
resembling the horrible Stigian smoke of the pit that is bottomelesse."
In that same year, the English placed a very heavy tariff on
tobacco that was imported from anywhere.
Virginia was the main source of tobacco. John
Rolfe brought some seeds of better Brazilian tobacco to Virginia,
and built Jamestown on Tobacco. The very first slaves brought
to Virginia were for this purpose, and it was an extremely profitable
venture. Until 1883 the tobacco excise tax accounted for one
third of revenue of the US Government.
Returning to the Inquisition, it was brought to
the New World. The persecution of heretics took the form of
witch-hunts and frequently targeted users of medicinal and hallucinogenic
herbs, both in Europe and in the Americas. One can say we are
still feeling the effects today. In Central America, all of
the sacred plants of the Aztecs were banned as work of the devil.
Some other examples of Prohibition:
* In 17th Century Russia, Czar Michael Federovitch rules that
anyone whom is found to be in possession of tobacco be exectued.
Czar Alexei Mikhailovitch rules that anyone caught in possession
of tobacco should be tortured until he give up the name of the
supplier.
* The use of tobacco is prohibited in Bavaria,
Saxony, and in Zurich in 1650. The prohibitions are ineffective.
In Germany, the penalty for smoking is death.
* Also in the mid-17th century, Sultan Murad
IV of the Ottoman Empire decrees the death penalty for smoking
tobacco. The prohibitions are ineffective.
Clearly, there are some people who just don't
like tobacco!
* In the 17th Century, The prince of Waldeck,
a petty state, pays ten thalers to anyone who will denounce
a coffee drinker.
* In 1700 King Charles II tried to ban coffee
houses, but the ban only lasted 11 days.
* In 1798, Upon discovery that much of the Egyptian
lower class habitually uses hashish, Napoleon declares a total
prohibition. Soldiers returning to France brought the tradition
home with them.
* Chocolate was banned by the Jesuits in the
River Plate area in 1677, together with similar substances,
indicating that it must have been a temptation to some.
Another major reason for the prohibitions that
existed, aside from intolerance (or modern religious teachings,)
was money. For example, in 1673 an MP in England requested the
prohibition of Spanish chocolate, brandy, rum, tea and coffee,
because sales of home grown beer and ale were suffering. The
request was refused, but it sowed the seed for taxation on cocoa,
etc., in the 18th Century.
Distilled alcohol (spirits, hard liquor - not
distilled wine) couldn't first appear until Muslim alchemists
invented the Still in the 8th or 9th centuries. At that point,
it was more of interest for science and alchemy than for making
liquor. It wasn't until it first appeared in Europe in the 13th
and 14th century that hard liquor was developed, including many
favorites such as Whiskey, Brandy, Schnapps, Sherry, Gin, Vodka
(Russia), etc. It was Paracelsus who gave alcohol its modern
name, taking from the Arabic word which means "finely divided."
By the 16th century, drunkeness became much more
of a problem, due to the much more potent alcohols that were
now available, and we see the first regulations against it.
Despite this, alcohol was a big source of money for Europe,
and any competition was bad news. Some Muslim Countries outlawed
alcohol in line with Muslim Law, and alcohol remains illegal
in Saudi Arabia as well as several other Muslim nations to this
day.
While alcohol took the next step, most other drugs
remained in their more natural forms. The only other major development
was smoking, which increased the potency of cannabis and opium.
Enter Capitalism and Imperialism - The
Opium Wars
One cannot possibly write the entirety of the
Opium Wars - a whole diary, nevermind a book, could (and has)
been devoted to that subject. It is a story involving Britian,
India, and China, that involves drugs, monopolies, imperalism,
just about anything you can imagine. I will try to summarize
as best as possible without leaving out important details. Much
of this is new to me as well.
The Opium Wars are some of the most famous acts
of prohibition and war due to drugs, and some of the most important
to understand, yet few really know about them. In the 1700s,
the sales of opium became a state monopoly of India, and the
smuggling of opium from India into China (particularly by the
British) was the cause of the wars. The British wanted the money.
This illegal trade became one of the most valuable single commodity
trades and was even described by J.K Fairbank as "the most
long continued and systematic international crime of modern
times."
The Qing Dynasty of China began a long decay beginning
in 1700, due largely to commodities trade that aggressive foreign
powers took advantage of. The Chinese had much to trade yet
desired little foreign goods. Opium soon entered the picture,
which was grown in China but not for long, and it was often
mixed with tobacco in a process that was invented by the Spanish
but more used by the Dutch. Reports reached Peking of the evils
of opium addiction in 1729, which became far more grave with
the addition of smoking as outlined earlier, and a prohibition
of recreational opium was established. The attempted prohibitions
of opium by the Chinese were entirely ineffective, and the Chinese
oftentimes refer to these years as the "century of shame."
The use of recreational opium would reach all classes in China
quite heavily, and it was mainly the poor who suffered. The
British, who were heavily involved with trading with the Chinese,
prohibited the smoking of opium in the same year.
The British, who had control of India, began illegally
selling Indian grown opium to the Chinese for gold. In 1764
the British conquered Bengal, and they began to see the potential
profit in opium. Profits reached nearly 400%, and poppies grew
almost anywhere in India. British exports of opium blew through
the roof from an estimated 15 tons in 1720 to 75 tons in 1773.
In this year the governor of Bengal was granted a monopoly over
the sale of opium and the British East India Company was established
as a total monopoly that harvested immersurable sums of money,
a company which was a key in the British hold over India. You've
surely heard of the British East India Company before, it's
monopoly over another drug - tea - led to the Boston Tea Party
and was a significant factor leading in to the American Revolution.
Importation of opium into China was illegal, as
the Chinese could manufacture enough for medicinal purposes
domestically. The British would sell tea on credit, the credit
being the right to smuggle opium at auction in Calcutta. In
1797, the company would end this practice, and through it's
immense power would require direct sale of the opium to the
company by the farmers themselves, firmly establishing it's
monopoly. It was a contraband trade, and the British would trade
opium for silver.
In 1796 the Chinese would reaffirm their ban,
and in 1799 the Chinese Government would ban opium completely,
making posession, in any form, or cultivation, completely illegal.
The edict would backfire. Traffic would change to go through
Macao and other areas beyond government control, enabling unprecedented
growth. The British would smuggle it along with legal cargo
on boats and sell it to Chinese merchants who would smuggle
it ashore in small, fast boats. In 1800 The British Levant Company
would purchase nearly half of all of the opium coming from Turkey
strictly for importation to Europe and the United States, keeping
their monopoly on China. Opium use would grow in Europe and
the United States, which I will address shortly.
By 1820 the trade would reach 900 tons per year
from Bengal to China. A few Americans saw the massive amounts
of money to be made, and several successfully smuggled opium
to China. These include John Cushing and John Jacob Aster. In
1830 there would be a startling development - India would largely
fall from British rule, and their monopoly would go with it.
Jardine-Matheson & Company of London would
inherit India and its opium from the British East India Company
once the mandate to rule and dictate the trade policies of British
India are no longer in effect. The British needed to do something
to keep the money flowing. In 1834 the British sent Lord Napier
to Macao. He attempted to go around the Canton Trade laws, which
outlawed direct contact with Chinese officials, but and was
turned away, and the governor of Macao promptly closed trade.
The British weren't ready to force the situation, and agreed
to resume trade under the old restrictions, even though Lord
Napier (their envoy), who was dying, implored them to open the
port by force.
The Chinese Government had a debate on legalizing
opium trade, but it was rejected and they continued restrictions.
In 1838 the punishment for Chinese drug traffickers was death.
At this point the British were selling 1400 tons of opium annually
to China, and the loss of such a trade would be devastating
to the British. In 1839 a new commissioner, Lin Zexu, was appointed
to control the port of Canton by the emperor, who decided to
enforce the ban on opium shipment to China. Shortly thereafter
the Superintendent of Trade demanded that all British subjects
turn over opium to him for confiscation, which amounted to nearly
a years supply for the Chinese. Britian refused to end the trade,
and Lin threatened to end all trade with Britain.
And thus began the first opium war. In November
of 1839, the Chinese tried to stop a British trading vessel.
The British responded by sending warships. The war was incredibly
lopsided against the Chinese. The British had superiority in
both the navy and their infantry, possessing modern muskets
and cannons. They handily defeated the Chinese, something the
Chinese do not remember fondly. They occupied Canton and took
the Chinese tax barges, greatly hurting the Chinese government's
income. In 1842 the Chinese sued for peace, and the Treaty of
Nanjing was negotiated. Hong Kong was ceeded to the UK, and
the British were allowed to continue their trade into China
- which was forced to free trade. Reparations were also paid
to the Chinese.
I am not going to write about the second Opium
War, as it was more about capitalistic desires than opium itself.
There is far more detail to these wars, as there is to any,
and I can't possibly write it all here. If you are interested
in learning more, you should read Wikipedia's Article on the
Opium Wars. I got most of this information from them. I strongly
encourage you do so, and read about the British East India Company,
as the whole story is of great importance to the American Revolution.
What lessons do we see here? How does it compare
to today? I will let you draw your own conclusions.
Return to America - The Isolation of Morphine
and Cocaine and the Invention of the Hypodermic Needle
With the Opium Wars, opium and morphine use and
trade blossomed in Europe and the United States. Medicines containing
opium and opium preparations such as 'Dover's Powder' were readily
available without restrictions. Laudanum (opium in alcohol)
was even cheaper than beer or wine and readily within the means
of even the lowest paid worker. Throughout the first half of
the 19th century, opium dependance increased steadily in Europe
and the United States. Medicinal use of opium was even prevalent
among young children, calming them down and numbing their teething
gums. However, even though there were some well known cases
among 19th century English creative personalities - such as
Thomas de Quincey, Byron, Shelley, Coleridge, and Dickens -
recreational use was still limited, and there is no evidence
that use was so excessive as to be a medical or social concern.
Also in 1801, under Jefferson's Recommendation, the tax on liquor
was abolished.
In 1822 Thomas De Quincy's 'Confessions of an
English Opium Eater' was published, a very famous work. He noted
that the opium habit, like any other habit, must be learned:
"Making allowance for constitutional differences, I should
say that in less that 120 days no habit of opium-eating could
be formed strong enough to call for any extraordinary self-conquest
in renouncing it, even suddenly renouncing it. On Saturday you
are an opium eater, on Sunday no longer such."
Meanwhile, in 1803, we start to really see modern
technology meet drugs. [Friedrich Sertürner] of Germany
discovers the active ingredient of opium by dissolving it in
acid then neutralizing it with ammonia - a process that can
now be done with some easy kitchen chemistry. The result was
'alkaloids', in this case morphine. This was likely the first
incidence that a plant alkoloid, drug, was isolated from the
plant. Morphine production today still follows a similar method,
except today we semi-synthesize it from another component of
opium, thebaine, as it's much more abundant in opium and thus
cheaper to produce. In 1827 commercial production of morphine
began. A similar process would eventually follow with coca leaves,
producing cocaine, in 1855. But coca leaves never took in Europe,
and it's use was limited mainly to Native Americans and African
slaves. The re-discovery of coca leaves and cocaine led to something
big, however. But you'll have to wait and see.
Physicians believed that opium had finally been
perfected and tamed. Morphine is termed "God's own medicine"
for its reliability, long-lasting effects and safety. It proved
to be reliable and long-lasting, but not nearly as safe. It's
recreational use was even more limited than opium, and it continued
to be used as a medicine without restriction or major incident
for over a hundred years.
In fact, most of us don't even know, but several
of our forefathers were drug users and/or drug addicts. I seriously
doubt, considering this, that they intended drug prohibition.
These include Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and James
Madison. The exact extent of their use, whether for medical
reasons or whatever, is knowledge perhaps lost forever.
"Under the law of nature, all men are born
free, every one comes into the world with a right to his own
person, which includes the liberty of moving and using it at
his own will. This is what is called personal liberty, and is
given him by the Author of nature, because necessary for his
own sustenance." --Thomas Jefferson: Legal Argument, 1770.
In 1842 Abraham Lincoln uttered words which are
not so famous - "In my judgement, such of us as have never
fallen victims, have been spared more from the absence of apatite,
than from any mental or moral superiority over those who have.
Indeed, I believe, if we take habitual drunkards as a class,
their heads and their hearts will bear an advantageous comparison
with those of any other class." [Abraham
Lincoln, Temperance address, in Roy p.Basler (Ed.), *The Collected
Works of Abraham Lincoln, Vol. 1, p.258]
Many other developments occurred leading up to
the critical year of 1878. Not much of critical importance,
however, although many steps are taken.
* 1840 New Englanders bring 24,000 pounds of
opium into the United States. This catches the attention of
U.S. Customs who put a duty fee on the import.
* 1843 Dr. Alexander Wood of Edinburgh discovers
a new technique of administering morphine, injection with a
syringe. This was the critical invention of the hypodermic syringe,
although it was discovered concurrently by Dr. Charles Pravaz
of France. Dr. Wood finds the effects of morphine on his patients
instantaneous and three times more potent.
* ~1835-1850 An Opium Epidemic grows among the
Fenish Peoples, who tolerate and successfully control their
use by informal social methods. The use was widespread particularly
among the poor, farmers, inhabitants of small hamlets, women,
and children.
* 1840s French soldiers fighting in Algeria in
the 1840s drank absinthe, a drug in an alcoholic drink that
is no longer commonly found, as a preventative against malaria
and other diseases. This brought the first big surge in absinthe's
popularity in France.
* 1841 Dr. Jacques Joseph Moreau uses hashish
in treatment of mental patients at the Bicetre.
* 1845 New York inacts a law prohibiting the
sale of liquor. It is repealed in 1847.
* 1847 The American Medical Association is founded.
* ~1850-1870 A labor shortage in America brought
tens of thousands of Chinese Laborers to America - and they
brought their opium habits with them.
* 1850 Coca tinctures are used in throat surgery
* 1852 The American Pharmaceutical Association
is founded. The Association's 1856 Constitution lists one of
its goals as: "To as much as possible restrict the dispensing
and sale of medicines to regularly educated druggests and apothecaries."
* 1852 Susan B. Anthony established the Women's
State Temperance Society of New York. Many of the early feminists,
such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Abby Kelly,
are also ardent prohibitionists.
* 1855 Pure cocaine is first extracted from coca
leaves.
* 1856 The Second Opium War Occurs. The importation
of opium is legalized. Opium production increases in Southeast
Asia.
* 1862 The Internal Revenue Act enacted the first
license fee of twenty dollars on retail liquor dealers, and
a tax of one dollar a barrel on beer and twenty cents a gallon
on spirits.
* 1863 Angelo Mariani patents a preparation of
coca extract (cocaine) and Bordeaux wine called Vin Marian.
* 1864 Adolf von Baeyer, an assistant of Friedrich
August Kekule in Ghent, synthesizes barbituric acid, the first
barbiturate. These are the so-called "major tranquilizers,"
or downers, that are almost non-existant today. The first medicinal
products do not appear until 1903.
* 1869 The Prohibition Party [alcohol] is formed
out of the remains of the abolitionist party.
* 1870s Peyote use spreads more widely into the
United States
* 1870s Parke & Davis manufacture a fluid
extract of coca leaves. Pure cocaine is still too difficult
to manufacture.
* 1870 Vin Mariani (Cocaine Wine) is for sale
throughout France, containing 6 mg cocaine per ounce of wine.
Exported Vin Mariani contained 7.2 mg per ounce to compete with
the higher cocaine content of American competitors.
* 1874 English researcher C.R. Wright first synthesizes
heroin from morphine, otherwise known as diacetylmorphine. 'Heroin'
is not produced, however, until 1895.
* 1878 8 million liters of Absinthe is imported
in the United States
1878: Prohibition Begins (3 days later.)
Let Me First Say...
This stuff is NASTY (however, most of the really nasty stuff
won't be until Part II.) The government taking advantage of
the poor and suffering, by selling them overpriced drugs, to
finance particularly nasty and brutal overseas wars (which were
oftentimes secret,) is one of the most disgusting things one
can imagine. It's the perfect example of how conservative principles
make sense - big government invites corruption. Unfortunately,
the conservatives don't take anything lumped into the massive
category of 'defense' as 'government,' nor do the modern Republicans
represent conservatives. But what party you belong to doesn't
necessarily mean you reject the other's principles - it's a
matter of priorities. At least in my opinion.
Both Democrats and Republicans are guilty, and the roots of
this whole mess lie in the hands of Democrats for the most part
(Teddy Roosevelt if you want to be technical about roots..),
and when you learn about the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 you will
be quite shocked about Roosevelt's, one of our icons, Congress.
However, the recent blood has been on Republican hands, ever
since Nixon declared the "War on Drugs" and illegalized
everything. While both parties are guilty, both need to come
clean. And that's what makes us different than them: we are
willing to admit our mistakes and tell the truth. Right?
While I clearly said there never has been a War on Drugs, and
that the government has been personally involved in the drug
trade, that doesn't mean that drug control can effectively work.
Using or "sleeping with" drugs as a weapon of war
is a long-standing tradition. Such corruption is unavoidable
when such massive incentives exist, and the only solution in
my eyes in the abolishment of prohibition.
Finally, with such a complex topic, you cannot expect me to
touch upon every instance - I simply do not know enough to do
so - nor get everything 100% accurate. I will do my very best,
but this is an informational piece, not a historical document.
If you want more information, you'll have to buy the book :P
I strongly urge you to read The Politics of Heroin: CIA Complicity
in the Global Drug Trade by Alfred McCoy. I couldn't have written
this without his extensive research.
The Beginning: Back to World War II
World War II saw the emergence of the USA as a superpower.
It set up numerous global agencies, most importantly, the CIA.
The CIA, and the government at large, very quickly enganged
in a war on communism - the cold war - and would ally itself
with ANY (and I do mean any - just look at the Taliban/Bin Laden
for a blatant modern example) power that was opposed to or in
a battle with communism. During the period between 1945 and
1970, only heroin, cocaine, and marijuana were illegal. Cocaine
was not popular at all during this period, in fact it barely
existed. This was not due to law enforcement, but was due to
the fact that a legal alternative was available - the amphetamines.
But that's a topic for the history diaries.
So the only illicit drugs from roughly 1945 to 1970 that had
a significant market were marijuana and heroin. Well, the CIA
decided to exploit heroin. It allied itself with organized crime
and drug syndicates. It effectively created the illicit road
to the US from the Middle East, through Europe. In the 1960s
dynamics would shift a bit, but we will get there later. The
French Intelligence was also involved in the heroin trade, among
others. It was organized crime who supplied the drugs - this
was a practice firmly engrained since both drug and alcohol
prohibition began by 1920. Alcohol prohibition ended, and organized
crime had to pull out (which I hope to see repeated), but drug
prohibition (opium and cocaine, and marijuana from 1937,) would
continue and organized crime would be here to stay.
Let's get back to World War II. During World War II, everything
changed. The extremely strict port security and shipping restrictions
would create a very marked ripple in drug supply. While many
overseas markets in developing areas were not disrupted, world
war in the 'civilized' world would lead to such intense security
that drug smuggling from places other than South America (for
us) would become virtually impossible. Mexico stepped in for
a little while, but the heroin produced didn't even compare.
At the end of World War II, it is estimated that the number
of heroin addicts plummetted to about 40,000 in the US. But
there were plenty hungry for the end of restrictions only possible
during wartime.
World War II is what sparked the growth of the opium production
in Indochina, the so-called 'golden triangle', consisting of
Burma, Laos, and Thailand. They had to meet their needs for
opium, which they previously recieved from India (a practice
firmly rooted since the 16th century,) so they started producing
domestically. Certain events that happened during the war, which
I will not get in to, would create the alliances and practices
that built the golden triangle opium empire. While Southeast
Asia produced most of the world's raw opium, most of our heroin
from post WWII to the "War on Drugs" came from the
so-called 'French Connection' - Opium from Turkey processed
into heroin in Marseilles - we will get into this further in
a little bit. Also, China's Communist Revolution would end their
status as the world's largest opium consumer, being replaced
by Iran. Iran was also largely supplied by Turkey, and by Afghanistan.
During World War II, Japan flooded China with heroin and used
the money to finance intelligence and covert operations, and
this would be one of the first examples of such acts. When we
landed in Sicily during WWII, for reasons of war, we allied
ourselves with the Italian Mafia, who Musillini, despite his
fascism, was unable to fully control. We made a deal with Lucky
Luciano, who was in jail for operating a huge brothel in NYC,
and used his mafia contacts in Sicily for intelligence and other
purposes for our landing and the war. After the war, some mafia
members were deported to Sicily. We used them as contacts with
the mafia there, and allied ourselves with them in the fight
against the communist dock worker influence, in places like
Marseilles. In case you forgot, that's where most of our heroin
was coming from. The heroin trade was effectively operating
under CIA protection. If you are allied with the CIA, you are
immune to investigation and prosecution. We'll get more in to
that when we get closer to home.
The Cold War Continues
Meanwhile in the so-called Golden Triangle, we have the CIA
supporting the heroin trade there, too. Burma, Laos, and Vietnam
share their northern border with China, which was fighting communism
at the time. The CIA was afraid of a communist invasion (by
force) from China into Southeast Asia. So, as usual, the CIA
would ally itself with any anti-communist forces in the area.
In Burma, from the very beginning, the CIA sustained Nationalist
Chinese forces on Burma's northern border. Those Chinese forces
transformed Northern Burma into the largest opium producer in
the world. These forces were brutal, and they would (while they
were there - until 1961), by force, coerce the people of Burma
into producing opium. The CIA also allied itself with a corrupt
general in Thailand, General PAO, who went into the opium business
with Chinese Nationalists in Laos.
In French Indochina, which includes modern-day Vietnam, the
French had an opium monopoly, one of the few that were left
(very common in the region,) and had to abolish it due to UN
treaties. It was abolished, and the French Intelligence gave
the opium trade to a crime syndicate that ran Saigon. Communists
were running a terrorist campaign against the French, and the
French used illicit drug money to pay for their counterattack.
Well, it seems that quite a bit (although far from a majority)
of the heroin that ran through Marseilles and the "French
Connection" came from Saigon.
The French left in 1954, leaving Indochina largely to us. The
CIA took up the same practices as the French - if not worse.
Now we supported and promoted the opium trade in the entire
area - which was still a major producer of opium until about
a decade ago.
This all led into the Vietnam War and the secret war in Laos.
Heroin was so prevalent in Vietnam, that 50% of GIs used heroin.
And it was all with the CIA's seal of approval. Our allies in
Vietnam were directly dealing drugs to our troops - drugs which
were made and trafficked under the umbrella of the CIA.
Air America was the CIA's secret airline, and it flew drugs
all over Southeast Asia. The pilots today deny ever knowingly
fly Opium, but they are in contradiction to statements by the
Chinese who grew it - saying that Air America helicopters bought
their opium. Plus, it has a smell that cannot be missed. But
what the pilots knew or did isn't important.
It was the drug trade that funded their 30,000+ men strong
secret war in Laos. In fact, the CIA operated a heroin refinery
in their own installation. Well, they (the CIA) didn't operate
it, a general named Vang Pao that we supported did. It was a
top secret base - the headquarters of their secret war in Laos
- Long Tien. The CIA even assisted Vang Pao by buying him an
airline to smuggle out his heroin.
The amount of heroin addicts in the USA went from a low 69,000
in 1969 to 559,000 in 1973. What happened? I can't really say
for certain, at least not yet, but I can provide some insights.
Well, first of all, this was largely a fabrication. All of a
sudden the total guesstimate statistical calculators were dramatically
changed. So gods knows if addicts even increased. That said,
for one, we have our secret war in Laos. For two, we have Vietnam
and the smuggling of heroin into the US that resulted. For three,
we have the Controlled Substances Act being passed, outlawing
the rest of the drugs, and the War on Drugs beginning. I think,
in the end, much like our current situation, the 'threat' is
more of a fabrication to meet a purpose more than anything else.
We will return to this.
The Nugan Hand Bank
The CIA formed a bank in 1973 in Sydney, Australia called the
Nugan Hand Bank. It wasn't the CIA's in name, but it was in
every other respect. It was founded by a Michael John Hand,
a green beret and contract operative for the CIA, who was smuggling
in heroin - and Australian Intelligence states that flat out,
as well as Frank Nugan, a token (drunken) lawyer.
The purpose of the bank was for laundering narcotics dollars
to finance CIA operations. It's that simple, and there is little
dispute. What's important here is that for the first time, as
far as we know, individual operatives got involved in the drug
trade - as opposed to the CIA supporting drug cultivators and
traffickers. The bank grabbed up some of what was left of the
uncovered Castle Bank (the CIA's last try at this,) and spread
to become an international corporation. It allowed for organized
crime to bypass strict Australian banking laws, and launder
money - and it's life was coincidentally tied with a large surge
of heroin use in Australia. The bank went belly-up in 1980,
amidst some strange scandals, Frank Nugen committed suicide
and Michael John Hand was exfiltrated by Thomas Clines (former
CIA chief of station from Laos and prominent in Iran-Contra),
flown to America, and never heard from since. Before it went
belly-up, numerous CIA and military operatives got involved.
These include Earl F. Yates, General Leroy J. Manor, General
Edwin F. Black, General Erle Cocke, Jr., Dr. Guy Parker, Richard
Secord, Walter McDonald, Dale Holmgreen, Theodore Shackley,
Richard L. Armitage, and William Colby.
The integration of narcotics and organized crime with covert
operations was now strongly engrained. Quite simply, it works.
And we're about to see the most egregious example, where we
will get much, much closer to home.
Iran-Contra - A Primer (1970s & 80s)
John Gotti Jr., on whether he has been dealing drugs -
"Who can compete with the government?" - John Gotti,
Jr.
Iran-Contra is a topic an entire diary could easily be devoted
to. There are some important things to say about Iran-Contra.
I am just going to set the outline and return in Part II. This
is one of those things where you can say "but wait, there's
more!" at the end of every sentence. We are now in the
official "War on Drugs," launched by Nixon at the
beginning of the 70s. George H.W. Bush will escalate it again
in 1989. And it all seemed to serve a specific purpose.
This is how it went. It really started way back in the 50s,
with Manuel Noriega in Panama. He was a general, and he was
our guy - the CIA and military supported him heavily. But, alas,
he was a drug trafficker. But since when did that get into the
way? We knew he was doing such things from at least 1971 - and
we didn't care. Several U.S. officials, including CIA Director
William Webster and several DEA officers, sent Noriega letters
praising his efforts to thwart drug trafficking. Unfortunately,
these efforts were only against his competitors, such as the
Medellin Cartel. We will return to him in Part II.
Here we will now see some striking parallels with the present.
As was mentioned, at the beginning of the 1970s, all of a sudden
heroin use EXPLODED - on paper, that is. It was largely a manufactured
"crisis," manufactured by the Nixon Administration,
by manipulating statistics. They used simple diplomatic means
to pressure Turkey into stopping their opium production - which
was easy, as the people producing opium were registered with
the government - and then manipulating the statistics downwards
to declare a victory. Well, by taking Turkey out of the equation
(and thus shutting down the "French Connection,")
all of a sudden demand shot up through the roof. And supply
would meet demand - and the streets really will be flooded with
heroin this time - from the network we set up in Southeast Asia.
But that's a topic for another diary. Nixon was hit with Watergate
and his plans were quickly ended. But even though Nixon's plans
were ended - the "War on Drugs" was not - and the
bureaucratic nightmare that is the DEA was here to stay.
Anyway, we have set the backdrop. Basically, what happened
is we supported these Contras in Nicaragua, this was in the
mid-1980s, because we didn't like their communist-sympathetic
government. This is yet another product of the Cold War - even
though, in reality, the Cold War was over. We sold arms to Iran,
in secret and illegally, which was involved in a bloody war
with Iraq. We used to proceeds to fund these Contras. And the
Contras used the proceeds to smuggle cocaine under the USA -
and start the crack epidemic - all under the protection of the
CIA - ON USA SOIL. That's right, the drug dealers were even
protected on US Soil. And the DEA was complicit.
A Brief Look at the 1960s
You all remember the 1960s, right? Well, as they say, either
you have heard about it, or you don't remember it. It' amazing
how time flies, anyone who could really have experienced the
60s would have to be pushing 60 by now, so it's doubtful there
are that many here that would fit into that category (I don't
mean to hurt anyone's feelings here, and I apologize if I have).
Let's have a little refresher, regardless.
Birth Control was widely available for the first time, and
sex was suddenly open and not something to be ashamed of; Sexuality
became something more accepted, and TV/Radio no longer censored
the most innocuous of sexual references. While Roe V. Wade wasn't
until 1973, the beginnings of it were in the 60s, and the case
originated in 1970. The Civil Rights Movement took place, and
segregation was ended. The Gay Rights movement began with the
Stonewall Riots. Feminism rose to prominence. On the culture
front, we have surrealism growing to worldwide popularity, and
Rock and Roll blooms.
The Presidents were JFK (who notably, in spite of the drug
explosion, had the most liberal and sane drug policy of any
president) and Lyndon B. Johnson, and we had an unpopular war
- Vietnam - which was widely protested as it should have been
(it really started in 1957, under Eisenhower, who later omniously
warned of the Military-Industrial Complex) - although the war
is traditionally believed to have really started (intensified)
in 1964 - as well as the Secret War in Laos (keep in mind what
was going on behind the scenes, as was described in War on Drugs:
The Masquerade Part I).
During the 40s and 50s, drugs were not very popular - illegal
drugs that is (we will get in to that in the final drug prohibition
history diary). During the 1960s, drug use would explode (some
of it relatively harmless, some of it far from it). It is very
important to note that all drugs other than opiates, cocaine,
and marijuana weren't illegal (for posession). That's right!
Even after the amphetamines and barbituates (uppers and downers)
were determined to be dangerous and addictive (especially so
as far as drugs go), there was still no law against them. And
even during the 1960s, the popularity of these drugs wouldn't
change significantly - however all drug use went up, and (meth)amphetamine
use grew (cocaine was virtually unheard of, as the amphetamines
were legal and comparable) - however, it wasn't called the 'psychedelic
movement' for nothing.
It was the psychedelics, the so-called "soft" drugs
- that were popular. Psychedelic drugs were extremely popular
- which includes Marijuana (a "mild halucinogen").
Other than Marijuana, we have LSD and Magic Mushrooms (which
Dr. Timothy Leary re-introduced to the American Populace.) He
was the one who coined the phrase "Turn on, tune in, drop
out." It's important to note that the "Marijuana today
is [pick-a-number] times more potent" myth is pretty bogus.
Marijuana potency has increased - something along the lines
of about 15%. Of course, there are many different types of Marijuana
and it's difficult to simplify. Vietnam, along with the Secret
War in Laos, assisted in bringing heroin back to the U.S., both
literally and in terms of fashion.
Life was free - free of shame, and free of fear. Not only that,
but this was nothing short of a revolution.
Not very good for politics. Keep in mind, however, that not
everyone was a "hippy." Far from it. As such, it was
not very good for right-wing, either. But the 1960s was an extreme,
and crime would grow (which was partially due to the Civil Rights
Movement.)
I will return to the 60s in Drug Prohibition: A History (Part
III).
The Backlash
Conservatives hate the 60s. They loathe the 60s. And they still
do - and are afraid of a repeat.
In 1969, Tricky Dick (Richard Nixon) would take office - a
true conservative - and a "crook" (and a liar, and
a hypocrite), for that matter.
Nixon appealed to what he claimed was the "silent majority"
of socially conservative Americans who disliked the "hippie"
counterculture and civil rights and anti-war demonstrators."
"Nixon campaigned on a "law and order" theme,
which appealed to many voters afraid of the far left and concerned
about the riots and demonstrations that had accompanied the
Civil Rights movement and the anti-war movement.
- Wikipedia.
This, right here, is the beginning of the "tough/soft
on crime" rhetoric and "Moral Voter" bloc. However,
it's important to say, Nixon could not have won the election
(which was against Humphrey) without the belief that he would
end (and possibly win) the Vietnam War.
He won on morals, and he won on fear. Sound familiar?
Remind you of something...?
The "War on Drugs."
"Guns, God, and Gays," they say. Well, they forget
"Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll." While they couldn't
stop Rock and Roll - and they knew it, and they couldn't stop
sex (but that they definitely did try - it's interesting, was
watching the People vs. Larry Flint last night as I started
this, highly recommended,) but drugs were the perfect scapegoat.
"Guns, God, and Gays" is extremely shortsided.
Nixon needed to get re-elected. Despite his assured victory,
he was one paranoid guy. He also likely, like the other conservatives,
truly despised the 60s. He took drugs into his aim (and would
do what conservatives always do - some insanely stupid things,
with full doses of fear.)
In 1971, Richard Nixon declared that the drug problem was a
"national emergency". He fabricated statistics - by
changing the ratio of dead junkies in the morgue to assumed
junkies on the street - to make it look like a heroin crisis
was upon us (and he later changed it back to declare victory.)
In his 1971 State of the Union, he declared that drugs were
smuggled "without the slightest respect for national boundaries"
and needed "an integrated attack on...their movement across
international borders." And, thus, the American World Police(tm)
was born. He often emphasized attacking the problem at it's
source - overseas. The "War on Drugs" officially began
as the 1971 midterm elections approached, in June 1971, and
Nixon announced a formal declaration of war on drugs. (I thought
only Congress had the ability to declare war? </snark>)
I cannot overemphasize how the "War on Drugs" IS
Nixon's legacy. He, personally, put enormous amounts of personal
energy into the effort, and crafted both the foreign and domestic
policies that are still in place today. He spoke of drugs like
Bush speaks of 9/11. Allow me to share with you some of his
quotes, as I describe some of his actions. Tell me if they sound
familiar.
In May 1971, only weeks before he announced the War on Drugs,
outraged by a favorable portrayal of homosexuals on All in the
Family, he said (to aides in the Oval Office): "I do not
think you glorify on public television homosexuality. It outraged
me because I don't want to see this country go that way...The
last six Roman emperors were fags...When the Catholic Church
went to hell....it was homosexual...And let's look at the strong
societies. The Russians, God damn it, they root them out....Dope?
Do you think the Russians allow dope? Hell no....You see, homosexuality,
dope, immorality in general: These are the enemies of strong
societies. That's why the Communists and the left-wingers are
pushing the stuff, they're trying to destroy us."
[drugs are] "public enemy number one", and he announced
a "full-scale attack on the on the problem of drug abuse
in America." He outlined a "worldwide escalation."
"If we cannot destroy the drug menace in America, then
it surely will destroy us."
[drugs are a threat that could] "sap our Nation's strength
and destroy our Nation's character."
In March of 1972, he came to New York City, where he met with
Governor Nelson Rockefeller - architect of the horribly cruel
and Draconian Rockefeller Drug Laws. He himself reviewed the
stat's anti-drug work, and called for a "total war"
on drugs.
In the last weeks of his 1972 re-election campaign, "Three
years ago, the global heroin plague was raging almost completely
out of control all over the world....But then we launched our
crusade to save our children and now we can see that crusade...beginning
to roll up some victories in country after country."
He also said, just after that, that he in the 1968 campaign
he ran "with a pledge to restore respect for law, order,
and justice in America," and that during his 1st term,
he had stemmed the "rising tide of disorder and permissiveness,"
by moving "onto the offensive in our all-out battle against
the criminal forces in America," and by declaring a "total
war against heroin and illicit drugs." He said "We
are winning this war. The raging heroin epidemic of the 1960s
has been stemmed." [highly likely bogus]
In March 1973, he reorganized the federal bureaucracy for "an
all-out, global war on the drug menace," and christened
the brand new DEA.
Nixon's Legacy
Let me first say that Nixon did enormous things in his "War
on Drugs." He crafted a whole huge bill, the one we currently
live under, the Controlled Substances Act of 1970, the first
full comprehensive criminal drug law that outlawed EVERYTHING
(which was an actual law, with a constitional basis in the Interstate
Commerce Clause, as opposed to an (unpayable) "tax".)
It was part of a larger bill, the Comprehensive Substance Abuse
Act of 1970, which also created the DEA. He also launched a
massive international war - one that was a catastrophic success.
But I think this is better covered in the other history diaries.
This is a special edition.
(A little bit of the foreign aspect was covered in War on Drugs:
The Masquerade Part III)
A final, very important thing to note was he originally took
a bi-partisan tone. He advocated Methadone Maintenance and UN
Cooperation, for instance. But in the end, he gave up on bi-partisanship.
And yet, he still won in the famous election vs. George McGovern
(who dared to speak something resembling the truth about Nixon's
war efforts,) the one that so closely resembles today. Will
the scandal also follow, today?...
"To fund these ambitious programs, Nixon raised the federal
anti-drug budget elevenfold in his first term to nearly $750
million, laying the foundations for future exansion. Nixon himself
resigned in disgrace only two years later, but his drug war
and it's bureaucratic underpinnings survived to become permanent
features [fixtures] of the federal government - notably, cabinet-level
supervision, the White House drug advisor, the DEA, an ever-expanding
budget, tough drug laws, the State Department's bilateral drug
diplomacy, and the metaphor and mindset of war."
- Alfred McCoy, The Politics of Heroin.
Sad, isn't it?
So, you wonder why the Democrats won't touch this issue with
a ten-foot-pole? I think it's likely because it's the very foundations
of the "Moral Values" BS. Tricky Dick left in disgrace.
His "War" should have left with him. Unfortunately,
Reagan continued it - with his "moral majority" -
and Bush 41 continued it. Even Clinton to some extent continued
it. It's time we recognize it for what it is. Drugs no longer
invoke the same fear and moral outrage they once did, and the
"War on Drugs" is an accepted failure.
I want to end this by re-stating my belief that the drug laws
are blatantly unconstitutional, and that until we stand up to
this garbage, stand on principle instead of ideology, we can
not win.
"You see, homosexuality, dope, immorality in general:
These are the enemies of strong societies."
"Gods, Guns, and Gays," you say? You forgot Sex and
Drugs. Immorality (in a Christian sense of the word) isn't the
enemy of a strong society: fascism, tyranny, poverty, and what
is essentially slavery is - at least how we define "strong
society."
Yes, the 60s were an extreme. But we are still living in the
even more extreme backlash.
UPDATE: I just wanted to point out the correlation
between the "just say no" and "no tolerance"
policies regarding drugs, and the "abstinence only"
sexual education policies (I know of at least one study that
shows abstinence only sex-ed not only doesn't work - it increases
sex among teens, and decreases condom use.) The policies virtually
put an end to responsibility, and create a rebellious subculture.
And now, the US is not only holding back funding for any group
that even speak of abortion - but they are adding needle exchanges
to the list. Needle exchanges "get dangerous needles off
the street and minimizes needle sharing. A proven weapon against
AIDS transmission, it has not been shown to increase drug use,
and indeed may reduce drug addiction by providing a way to talk
to drug users and lead them to treatment. It is endorsed by
virtually every mainstream public health group," according
to the Washington Post.
