"Since 1971 the world's drug policy has been largely influenced by that of the United States of America, which, as we have seen, has itself a tortured history when it comes to drug misuse. Their policies appear to be tied up with many fundamental Christian beliefs and with the belief that they should act as the world's police force. In many instances America's attitude toward drug use is contradictory with the degree of harmfulness of a drug bearing no relationship to illegality or otherwise. Indeed the opposite appears true in many instances with successive United States governments supporting tobacco farmers and alcohol producers. " (from a book I found here called Adolescent Substance Misuse by Ian Sutherland (p.13)). Hmm.