se has always been, and most likely always will be a popular pastime in the United States, and in fact drug use per capita is only higher, at least my opinion, because of stringent government inter-action and “education”, which I believe only

It wasn’t until 1855 when a pharmaceutical grade of cocaine was produced for mass consumption (8), however the short length of time in which cocaine has been consumed by the American population does not in any way take away from its impact on our culture. The natural derivative of cocaine, the cocoa plant, had been ingested as a means of stimulation for thousands of years in North America before Christopher Columbus began exploring the New World. Settlers soon found the excitable properties of the cocoa plant and when its synthesized sister began appearing all over American pharmacies being tabbed as the next “all cure” millions of Americans flocked to its use, whether it was in the form of cigarettes, nose powders, “tonic wines”-which were famous for their consumption by higher class Americans or elixirs such as Coca-Cola. By 1920 it is reported that as many as 1.5 million Americans were addicted to cocaine. It was the use of this product, now known as a highly addictive pro!

duct, which was tabbed by earlier Americans as a healthy and productive stimulant (9). Ignorance about this drug is what made it so dangerous, then again it is the ignorance of any substance, which makes it dangerous to consumers. Not surprisingly cocaine has always been deemed a drug of the poor and immoral just as marijuana has been connected with Mexican-Americans and opiates with Asian Americans.

awash in opiate addiction. If anything rates have declined over the years (in terms of per capita) as opium-derived substances have had to stand the constant attack of US propaganda now for well over a hundred years (14).

introduces more Americans to drugs than would otherwise be aware of such substances. So where did drugs begin in American life? Getting high at least it seems can be traced all the way back to the first settlement of American land in Virginia…

Opiates span a much, much wider area of influence in American culture and hold really the up most importance when discussing the use of illegal drugs in the United States over the last 200 years. When America was first being explored it wasn’t because our European ancestors saw an opportunity to “start a new life and find a better place to live” like it is deemed so in every history book. The 1500’s and 1600’s were times when Europe was trying to excerpt its influence over the world and was attempting to find and open up lucrative new markets of trade. One of those markets was the opium market. Opium had existed with mankind in all of its inebriating glory since the very beginning of human existence; the ancient Egyptians and Greeks themselves loved the plant and its side effects. By the 1500’s the opium plant and its benefits had been realized by European traders who sought to make a killing off the Asian narcotic. Opium extracts were sold in pill form,

Some topics in this essay:
Jacob Astor, Jimmy Carter, Egyptians Greeks, Children America, World Settlers, Virginia… Jamestown, Department Justice, Americans Opiates, George Washington, Interestingly CIA, recreational drug, illegal drugs, mandatory drug, deemed drug, opium plant, american businessman, marijuana smoking, “war drugs”, american culture, middle class,