Drugs, Plant Medicine, and Society: A 100-Year Perspective

Drugs, Plant Medicine, and Society: A 100-Year Perspective

Understanding the history of drugs and plant medicine helps us see how society has shaped use, regulation, and exploitation. From early pharmaceuticals to Indigenous healing practices, the story is long, complex, and deeply tied to inequality, profit, and culture.

1900–1920: Medicine & Tradition

• Pharmaceutical drugs: Opium, morphine, cocaine, and cannabis were widely used in pharmacies for pain, sleep, and tonics.
• Traditional medicine: Indigenous peoples used peyote, ayahuasca, and mushrooms for healing and spiritual guidance.
• Key dynamic: Western medicine centralized knowledge and often criminalized traditional practices.

1920s–1930s: Criminalization & Social Control

• Laws: Harrison Narcotics Act (1914, US) restricted opium and cocaine; marijuana prohibition begins.
• Impact: Marginalized communities were disproportionately targeted; traditional plant medicine marginalized.

1940s–1950s: Postwar Pharma & Prescription Boom

• Pharma growth: Barbiturates, amphetamines, early opioids prescribed for mental health and pain.
• Cultural context: Home remedies declined; addiction stigmatized; profit-driven pharma expanded.

1960s–1970s: Counterculture & Psychedelics

• LSD, psilocybin mushrooms, marijuana popular in youth culture.
• Traditional medicine exploited or appropriated without consent.
• War on Drugs criminalized users, especially in marginalized communities.

1980s–1990s: Crack, Meth, & Opioid Foundations

• Street drugs like crack and meth surged; prescription opioids marketed aggressively.
• Disparities in enforcement created racialized patterns of incarceration and harm.

2000s–2025: Modern Crisis & Awareness

• Fentanyl and synthetic opioids fuel overdose crises.
• Legalized marijuana leads to corporate cannabis, often sidelining traditional medicine.
• Wellness culture commodifies sacred practices like yoga and psychedelics.

Key Takeaways for Young People

1. Drugs are not inherently evil; societal forces shape their risk and impact.
2. Indigenous and traditional medicine has ethical, spiritual, and communal frameworks that are often ignored.
3. Addiction is often systemic, not just personal failing.
4. Respect sacred practices; avoid cultural appropriation.
5. History helps recognize patterns—awareness can prevent exploitation and misuse.

This is just the beginning. In the next post, we will explore Big Pharma and prescription opioids, how profit and policy created the crises we see today, and what young people need to know to understand this system.