There were other items, however, that were introduced to American culture during this time period that are as important to America as the famous inventions noted before, yet they were not as public as the others nor were they as universally accepted as good. These items were mind bending narcotics, drugs that changed people's perception of the world around them. Although they did not have as wide of an influence as did the wholesome inventions, those narcotics still played an intricate role in defining and creating the American culture we know today.

Many different types of narcotics have been used all over the world for centuries. The Chinese have smoked Opium for thousands of years, the native America

Marijuana's also enjoyed the same type of stereotypical generalization that Opium did and it helped develop America's disposition towards the drug. Marijuana's primary recreational users were Blacks, mostly of Carribean heritage and Mexicans from the Southwest. It is obvious that the anti-marijuana sentiment was in many ways sparked simply because its main users were Blacks and Mexicans. America was still country divided and racism was rampant and many equated Marijuana with minorities and they equated minorities with ignorance, violence and crime.

During the time when the use of Opium was accepted by most, it most be known that it was only accepted by most if used the "proper way." Smoking Opium was a common practice among the Chinese and they had many "smoking dens" where Opium was sold and places to relax and smoke were offered. But this was primarily, if not exclusively, used for the Chinese and not White Americans. Most White Protestant Americans were very racist towards the Chinese and did not accept or approve of the Asian culture. However, during the 1870's smoking began to spread to non-Chinese communities throughout the country. Some medical and political leaders tried to find the beneficial attributes of smoking but the general consensus was that it was a improper and morally wrong. H. H. Kane thought that "opium smoking is essentially a vice, being a gross indulgence of a passion or appetite." Smoking, like the Chinese, became identified with the underworld of America. William Rosser Cobbe wrote "...the opium smoking habit comes of association with unholy persons and is entered into with deliberation."

With all the negative stereotypes allocated to the use of narcotics most 'good' Americans refused to use them. The idea that drugs were for the imbecile, the pauper and the criminal soon became a central idea of our society, as important as mom and apple pie. But what about the outcasts, those shunned by society and its definition of good? These people in many ways needed a way of rebellion against the dictatorship of American ideology and the use of illegal drugs was a perfect venue. They created a sub-culture characterized by the use and abuse of those drugs.

Drugs were an intricate part of the American culture for over a century when it played its role in the medical field. But soon the nation developed hostile feelings towards many drugs. An unfortunate stepping stone to the nation's sentiment were ethnic stereotypes which became associated with the use of certain drugs due to the race of its main consum

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