Nixon bribed the last holdout, King of Nepal, with $75 million US-about 1/2 billion in todays dollars, to outlaw cannabis that was used in the religious practices of the local sect and by a few western tourists.The money went directly to his personal pocket.
They had little or no drug problem in the country up to that point. Within 20 years of prohibition they had the worst crack cocaine and heroin problem in the area.A real sucess story.
Nixon opposed drugs because it was a winning issue against the left-wing hippie culture. Period.