Alcohol has been relatively common since forever, just not the hard stuff. People used to make cider at home all the time. It was demonized by the religious temperance movement, who basically preached abstinence from everything fun.

Same with weed - a common plant that has been used spiritually, ceremonially and recreationally for literally thousands of years; that one was demonized as a political tool to fight the hippie movement without overtly making it illegal.

Also, first post ever. Figures I’d lose my Lemmy virginity with alcohol and drugs!