Have you ever wondered why some drugs are illegal and others are not? 
Because illegal drugs are more dangerous - you may think.
But you are wrong! It is important to understand that the legal status 
of a drug has nothing to do with the risks  it carries.
WHY ARE SOME DRUGS ILLEGAL?  - Drugreporter Just Say Know Series
Although mind altering drugs are as old as human civilization
and they are known in virtually all cultures of the world, 
the attitudes to drugs and their users 
have been changing throughout history. 
Only a few people know that when coffee arrived to Europe,
it was banned by many European countries.
For example in 1623 Murad IV. the ruler of the Ottoman Empire
banned coffee drinking and established a system to punish it's users.
Gustav III. the King of Sweden also banned the drinking of coffee and tea,
because of excesses and misuse of drinking of coffee and tea.
When tobacco, a plant native in America, arrived in Europe in the 16th century, 
it was also banned in most European countries.
Pipe smoking was not only punishable by death,
but it was declared an evil custom by the pope himself. 
After a brief period of prohibition, tobacco was completely liberalised. 
It even reached a point in the mid 20th century, that tobacco products were
advertised with the picture of babies,
 and with doctors who were telling you how good is it for your health.
It took another half century to convince people
that tobacco is actually harmful for your health.
and now governments increasingly control it's use and distribution.
Sign: Lips that touch liquor, shall not touch ours"
Alcohol, one of the most popular drug in the Western world,
was brought under federal prohibition in the United States in 1919
When president Roosevelt deided to legalise it in 1933,
it was not because he realised alcohol is not a dangerous substance,
because prohibition created a huge black market 
feeding violent criminals such as Al Capone.
Not so long time ago, in the early 20th century, 
 currently illegal drugs, such as opium and cannabis were legal.
You could walk into a drug store and buy them.
Soft drinks such as Coca-Cola  and Vin Mariani contained cocaine.
But by the second half of the 20th century most countries outlawed
 the non-medical and non -scientific use of most mind-altering substances.
Why some drugs became illegal, was not because of science.
It was more because of racial prejudices.
For example the first opium ban in San Francisco 
was introduced because of the fear of chinese migrant workers.
The first cannabis ban because of the fear of mexican migrant workers,
and the first cocaine ban because of the myth of black people
raping white women under the influence of cocaine.
The United States of America played an important role in exporting prohibition
and framing the international drug control system,
marked by three United Nations drug conventions, 
 that made the non-scientific and non-medical use of certain drugs illegal.
Those drugs that were used by Europens such as alcohol and tobacco remained legal,
While drugs used by non-european cultures such as coca leaf, 
Were declared illegal and to be eradicated.
But drug prohibition is not a successful system.
Watch the next episode of the Just Say Know series and you will learn why!
Follow us in Twitter and Facebook and share this video with your friends!
