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.
Now where did you get that from my statement?
Tobacco has been part of the American culture since before there was an America. Opiates were never part of the American culture.