General Discussion

Kid Berwyn

(23,228 posts)

7. Nixon created "War on Drugs" to target POC and hippies.

Fri Dec 12, 2025, 02:43 PM

Dec 12

“You want to know what this [war on drugs] was really all about? The Nixon campaign in 1968, and the Nixon White House after that, had two enemies: the antiwar left and black people. You understand what I’m saying?

“We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin, and then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities. We could arrest their leaders, raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news.

“Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.”

— John Ehrlichman, Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs under President Richard Nixon

Source: https://www.vera.org/reimagining-prison-webumentary/the-past-is-never-dead/drug-war-confessional

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area51 SheltieLover 2naSalit 0rganism Chin music Munu GrapesOfWrath SamKnause Cha mountain grammy GoodRaisin Ursus Rex

62 replies

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Highlight:

And now -- just like that -- marijuana is 100% Republican and good for business. [View all] Munu Dec 12 OP

Should have happened sooner newdeal2 Dec 12 #1

This is yet another case... appmanga Dec 12 #18

100% harumph Dec 13 #39

...and that could be the difference in picking up a tenth of 1% of the vote in a state that matters In It to Win It Dec 15 #62

Biden often clung to the old 'war on drugs' thinking, ie 'weed is a gateway drug' etc etc Celerity Dec 12 #24

Well, it is. Conjuay Dec 13 #38

It's actually not BannonsLiver Dec 13 #48

weed industry has plenty of green to go around, if you know what I mean eShirl Dec 12 #2

This will NOT be popular with a lot of MAGAs Wiz Imp Dec 12 #3

It will be popular with a lot of people. yardwork Dec 12 #4

Agreed, I think the idea is if it is popular with the majority of people walkingman Dec 12 #6

The reason it's popular is because the older demographic that, you know, actually vote... harumph Dec 13 #42

there are plenty of pro-Trump MAGA weed enthusiasts rollin74 Dec 12 #8

And there are plenty who are strongly against it as well. Wiz Imp Dec 12 #12

All Trump needs to do is to say he is for something and the MAGA sphere will snap into place. speak easy Dec 12 #28

Yeah, let's see if DeSantis suddenly becomes Conjuay Dec 13 #40

You don't know MAGA edhopper Dec 13 #46

I have seen multiple Traildogbob Dec 12 #5

Never underestimate the power... appmanga Dec 12 #19

If I am correct he snuck Traildogbob Dec 12 #21

That's Rebl2 Dec 13 #41

DeWine is banning "gas station weed". He can't touch the legal recreational coming from dispensaries. FascismIsDeath Dec 13 #37

Great info Traildogbob Dec 13 #47

Delta whatever literally saved my life. usedtobedemgurl Dec 15 #56

All I did was suggest it be regulated. FascismIsDeath Dec 15 #57

All I did was suggest it is not a demon usedtobedemgurl Dec 15 #60

Nixon created "War on Drugs" to target POC and hippies. Kid Berwyn Dec 12 #7

Add the myth that MJ is a gateway drug & leads to heroine use. CrispyQ Dec 15 #53

Great! Now my senior engineering team MenloParque Dec 12 #9

Obviously, they finally tried it for themselves -- and liked it! Intractable Dec 12 #10

Jimmy Carter should have done this in 1976 Emile Dec 12 #11

As soon as they saw the amount of money to be made, GOP has been on board. travelingthrulife Dec 12 #13

Exactly! Boggles the mind that we even are having this conversation 65 yrs later, isn't it? SheltieLover Dec 12 #14

Not really. Support for marijuana legalization among Republican voters peaked at 55% Wiz Imp Dec 12 #30

Yeah. They aren't going to admit they are for it after years of bashing it. travelingthrulife Dec 13 #43

I've heard a few... 2naSalit Dec 12 #15

Good. TheProle Dec 12 #16

Yeah jfz9580m Dec 15 #52

Under the BBB mj will be illegal to grow starting next year. CBD willl remain legal, but how are growers going to sell in2herbs Dec 12 #17

Mitch McConnell appreciates the political beauty... appmanga Dec 12 #20

Paul is a libertarian and libertarians have long supported legal weed and ending the GoodRaisin Dec 12 #35

Libertarians...Republicans who like to use pot. travelingthrulife Dec 13 #44

Companies can't grow hemp and concentrate it Qutzupalotl Dec 12 #22

Eager to see if Speaker Johnson lights up a big fatty. surfered Dec 12 #23

He's against it---- but maybe he'll be a good boy and get on his knees in front of Trump once again, and Jack Valentino Dec 12 #26

😁 surfered Dec 12 #32

The ONLY 'good thing' Trump has done--- if he actually does it! Jack Valentino Dec 12 #25

Back in the early-mid 1980's---- I never understood how my new brother-in-law could be Jack Valentino Dec 12 #27

How will this affect TACO's war against narco-terrorist? MissouriDem47 Dec 12 #29

If the dope is 100% American grown? Munu Dec 12 #31

He is doing this to get the young Tree Lady Dec 12 #33

Well what do you know. mountain grammy Dec 12 #34

he is not legalizing recreational cannabis. uncle ray Dec 13 #36

The one constant with Republican politicians, and not just Trump ... Munu Dec 15 #49

That bottle of whiskey in Hegseth's desk is for medicinal purposes ... JustABozoOnThisBus Dec 15 #50

Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 13 #45

Interesting. This will make Texas Lt. Gov. and Supreme A**hole Dan Patrick very sad. tanyev Dec 15 #51

They were also against trash recycling until their pals forced it on everybody. GreenWave Dec 15 #54

"TABC intends to proceed with the adoption of permanent regulations on the hemp industry in Texas despite the potential efhmc Dec 15 #55

Michigan just added a 24% tax on it on top of the existing 10% tax. MichMan Dec 15 #58

We take a little drive to New Buffalo from the Chicago area and stock up every few months. tritsofme Dec 15 #59

Ex speaker John Boehner was ahead of the game. He's chair of a cannabis lobbying org. IcyPeas Dec 15 #61