Quote:
"In May 1953, the Menzies government prohibited its importation after pressure from the World Health Organisation, in turn under pressure from the US, where a burgeoning drug problem was emerging. Yet in Australia there was no drug problem to speak of; instead heroin was used to manage serious pain, especially for the terminally ill.
"The ban went ahead despite objections from the director-general of health in NSW that 'heroin ... is quite effectively controlled in this state and ... I see no justification to enforce absolute prohibition'. And despite similar protests by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the predecessor to the Australian Medical Association, then the Australian Federal Council of the British Medical Association."
In fact, there is a case to answer that it was made it was made illegal due to pressure from religious groups who believe that addictive mind-altering substances are the work of the devil.