No, nothing sinister. Alcohol and tobacco have been a part our culture since the Pilgrims landed.
Cocaine and heroin, marijuana, PCP, LSD, methamphetamine, and all the other recreational drugs have not. When they did surface, like marijuana or opium, they were part of the sub-culture.
Drugs are not legal or illegal solely based on their relative danger. Never were.
"but the alchohol companies are the largest single special interest contributers."
Really? Huh. I bet if drugs were legal, it would be the alcohol (or cigarette) companies that would either manufacture and/or distribute them through their existing wholesale and retail channels. Boy are they stupid -- they're missing out on all that money to be made with legal drugs.
Cocaine and heroin, marijuana, PCP, LSD, methamphetamine, and all the other recreational drugs have not. When they did surface, like marijuana or opium, they were part of the sub-culture."
So you are saying that tobacco predates opiates in the European (Pilgrim) societies? I think you need to study history, at least a little bit. Learning is good thing : )
Don't you think the drink Coca Cola was mainstream enough?
"Drugs are not legal or illegal solely based on their relative danger. Never were."
At last we agree on something, drugs are illegal based solely on the whims of politicians, not for any objective reason. If the Politicians, Court system, Police system, Prison system, Alcohol companies, etc. didn't benefit from the war on drugs they would be legal.