Our current drug laws stem from years of racial prejudice and bigotry, beginning with the Chinese who brought their custom of opium smoking when they were sent over here to build the "white man's" railroad, to the Latinos who came to this country with their own customs. The American Indian indulged peyote in their religious customs, which also became a No-No because protestant-caucasian America couldn't accept another's culture.

You can go to www.drugpolicyalliance.org and click on the links to the Schaefer Library on Drug Policy, and read to your hearts content on the history of drug policy in America.