Nixon considered cannabis «not particularly dangerous» in a recently revealed recording

In audio recordings from March 1973 that were recently made public and revealed by The New York Times, the ‘Former President Richard Nixon admitted in private that cannabis was «not particularly dangerous,» a striking contrast to his public stance as the instigator of the war on drugs.

Nixon's Surprising Confession

During a meeting at the White House in 1973, Nixon acknowledged his lack of knowledge about cannabis, while noting that it was «not particularly dangerous.» He also pointed out that many young people support its legalization. However, he did not want to publicly endorse this sentiment, stating, «It’s not the right signal to send right now.».

This admission underscores the role Nixon played in launching the war on drugs in 1971, during which he called drug addiction ’public enemy number one.«.

Despite his firm public stance, his private conversations suggest that he questioned the harsh sentences imposed for cannabis-related offenses. For example, Nixon expressed disbelief regarding a 30-year sentence which he had learned about, calling it «ridiculous» and asserting that sentences should be «proportionate to the crime.».

Despite his doubts about the severity of the penalties, Nixon played a key role in shaping the federal government’s approach to cannabis. His administration classified cannabis as a’Appendix I of the Controlled Substances Act, just like drugs such as heroin and LSD, which typically indicate a high potential for abuse and a lack of recognized medical value.

This classification laid the groundwork for mass incarceration, disproportionately affecting Black Americans, which are 3.6 times more likely to’ are more likely to be arrested for cannabis possession than their white counterparts, according to the’American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).

Mr. Nixon's decision also stifled cannabis research. For decades, scientists have faced significant obstacles in studying its effects, which has limited medical advances. These long-term consequences highlight the disparity between Nixon's personal beliefs and the policies he implemented.

The Shafer Commission Report

The fact that Nixon privately admitted that cannabis was not particularly dangerous stands in stark contrast to his administration's actions.

In 1972, Nixon rejected the recommendations of the Shafer Commission, a federal panel he had appointed to evaluate cannabis laws. The commission’s conclusions were clear: while cannabis use posed certain health risks, criminalization was both excessive and unnecessary.

The commission's report states that the personal possession and the occasional distribution Possession of small amounts of cannabis should not be a criminal offense. It also emphasizes the need for a significant shift in societal attitudes toward drug use, suggesting that strict enforcement of criminal law is not an appropriate response to cannabis use.

Despite this comprehensive analysis, Nixon ignored the commission’s findings and continued to advocate for strict drug laws. The Shafer Commission’s report is now considered a missed opportunity to reform cannabis policy, especially since its conclusions align with modern arguments in favor of decriminalization and cannabis legalization.

Political motivations behind criminalization

A particularly controversial aspect of Nixon's drug policy is its political motivation.

In a 1994 interview, John Ehrlichman, Nixon's domestic policy advisor, revealed that the administration's aggressive stance on the war on drugs was intended, in part, to weaken political opponents. Ehrlichman admitted that the criminalization of drugs—particularly marijuana and heroin—allowed the administration to target the anti-war left and black communities.

By combining the marijuana-smoking hippies and Heroin Addicts, the Nixon administration sought to disrupt these groups by arresting their leaders, raiding their homes, and portraying them in a negative light in the media, using prohibition as a tool to control the population before it became a tool for protecting people.

«Did we know we’d be lying about drugs? Of course we did,» Ehrlichman said in the interview, revealing the cynicism underlying the war on drugs.