I've tried doing deep dives into drug criminalization a few times before, and I've never been able to find a simplistic explanation for it. Keep in mind, this i

I've tried doing deep dives into drug criminalization a few times before, and I've never been able to find a simplistic explanation for it. Keep in mind, this is something that every country in the world went forward with around the same time, even when they were adversaries who couldn't agree on much else. This was also something that nations often did on their own. A lot of these movements start much earlier than people think; look at Mexico's moves against cannabis in the late 1800's early 1900's. Or even the Gin Craze of the 1700's for a precursor. There seem to be a few threads I've found that are worth pursuing: 1. The general increase in state power in various domains of life . 2. The decline of traditional communities and move toward urbanization creating a disconnected group of people that worried the upper classes. 3. The tendency of geopolitics to follow social trends/fads.