This paper presents the history of the illegalization of two substances, which are most similar in their effects, but have largely different histories in the United States of America. The banning of alcohol took a whole army of dry supporters of temperance, while marihuana was, at the time of its illegalization, barely known to the general public. And yet, the reasons for their prohibition are similar in nature. The paper consists of three substantial parts. The first two focus on the process of illegalization of alcohol and marihuana, respectively, from their introduction into the US, up until the first federal legislation passed against them. The third part focuses in more detail, on the similarities and differences in the media coverage of both illegalization processes, racial and xenophobic prejudices surrounding the two substances, the opposition of illegalisation, and the federal laws against each drug. The first two parts are mostly based on the main two sources; The Spirits of America: A Social History of Alcohol by Eric Burns and The Forbidden Fruit and the Tree of Knowledge: An Inquiry into the Legal History of American Marijuana Problem by Richard Bonnie and Charles Whitebeard. The third part is the result of observation, critical thinking, and comparison of the information gathered from sources.
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