The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has Tweeted praise towards an unabashed racist who helped make marijuana illegal.

No one is more responsible for marijuana prohibition than Harry J. Anslinger, a former government official who used racism to make the point that marijuana use should be a crime. When arguing for prohibition, Anslinger made statements such as “reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men“, and “marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes”.

Despite this disgusting and blatant racism, the DEA sent out a Tweet yesterday praising the man.

“Harry Anslinger helped bring drug law enforcement into the modern age”, says the Tweet made a little after noon. “He served as head of US drug enforcement for 5 presidents from # Hoover to # Kennedy, retiring in 1962. They end the Tweet with the hashtags “#TBT” and “#ThrowbackThursday”.

Response to the Tweet has shown almost unanimous opposition to it.

“Not one single positive response to this tweet”, responded Harold Carr. “Perhaps y’all should read them and reflect on how this monster is viewed by most sane people.”

The Tweet, and its responses, can be found by clicking here.