This on-line course covers the use, abuse, and prohibitions of tobacco, alcohol, and illegal drugs in American history from the turn of the last century to the present. The course examines and concentrates on three major factors that played key roles in determining our cultural attitude towards and legal treatment of the various drugs: race and ethnicity; our history’s overall trend towards expanded government; and economic gain and loss. By examining these three factors, the students come to understand that the cultural attitude towards and the legal status of various drugs, including tobacco and alcohol, have been continually changing throughout American history.