Nixon Privately Did Not Consider Marijuana Dangerous, Archives Reveal

Recently uncovered archival recordings from 1973 reveal that former U.S. President Richard Nixon did not actually consider marijuana to be dangerous. This admission stands in stark contrast to his public stance and the launch of the War on Drugs campaign, which began two years earlier. Although Nixon recognized that marijuana did not pose a serious threat, he believed that legalization at the time would send the “wrong signal.”

The recordings also highlight Nixon’s conflicting views on punishments for cannabis-related offenses, with him calling 30-year prison sentences “ridiculous.” This revelation contradicts his administration’s policies, which led to the creation of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the strict classification of marijuana as a Schedule I drug—a status that remains in the United States to this day.

Political Motivation Behind the War on Drugs

Testimony from Nixon’s former advisor, John Ehrlichman, further underscores the political motivations behind the War on Drugs. In 1994, Ehrlichman admitted that the criminalization of cannabis was used as a tool to suppress the anti-war movement and African American communities. These revelations raise important questions about the long-term consequences and effectiveness of Nixon’s drug policies.