During the administration of American PresidentRichard Nixon (1969–1974), the United States turned to increasingly harsh measures against cannabis use, and a step away from proposals to decriminalize or legalize the drug. The administration began thewar on drugs, with Nixon in 1971 naming drug abuse as "public enemy number one in the United States."[1]
Operation Intercept was an anti-drug measure announced by Nixon on at 2:30pm on Sunday, September 21, 1969, resulting in a near shutdown of border crossings between Mexico and the United States. The initiative was intended to reduce the entry of Mexicanmarijuana into the United States at a time that was considered to be the prime harvest season.[2]
In 1969, Nixon announced that his Attorney GeneralJohn N. Mitchell would prepare comprehensive new measures to address drug use in the United States. Under 1970'sControlled Substances Act, cannabis was listed asSchedule I with other drugs having maximum abuse potential but no medicinal value.[3]
Nixon rejected the pro-decriminalization findings of Canada'sLe Dain Commission and the BritishWootton Report.[4]
In the early 1970s, Nixon formed the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse (Shafer Commission), telling Shafer "I want a goddam strong statement... one that just tears the ass out of" cannabis supporters. However, the Shafer Commission's 1972 report stated that cannabis should be decriminalized, and that prosecuting cannabis was a distraction from the fight against heroin. Nixon was infuriated by this betrayal from Shafer, and refused to appoint him a federal judgeship.[5]
TheDrug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was established by Nixon in 1973.[6]
