west-splaining with citizens of AES nations

China's anti-cannabis policies originated from the west. United States invented anti-cannabis laws to discriminate against migrant workers from Mexico. The term "marijuana" was popularized by the US because it sounds Spanish. Most countries made cannabis illegal just because of United States influence.

In 1970, the United States completely revamped its existing drug control laws by enacting the Controlled Substances Act (amended in 1978 by the Psychotropic Substances Act, which allows the U.S. drug control Schedules to be updated as needed to comply with the Convention). In 1971, the United Kingdom passed the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. A host of other nations followed suit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_Psychotropic_Substances

In 1970, US passed the Controlled Substances Act under the Nixon administration, as part of the Nixon's "War on Drugs". In 1971, United Nations signed the Convention on Psychotropic Substances, influenced by the United States. This treaty is what influenced most countries to make Cannabis illegal.

The Convention of Pyschotropic Substances was signed in February of 1971, when PRC was not a member state of the United Nations. At the time, the UN considered Taiwan (ROC) to be the representative of China. PRC joined the UN in October of 1971. In 1972, PRC told the UN that it was not obligated to follow treaties signed by the ROC.

PRC joined the Convention of Psychotopic Substances in 1985. Marijuana/Cannabis became illegal in China in 1985 due to western influence.

edit /// changed the wording of the taiwan situation, due to possible misinterpretation. Chinese Taipei is still a part of China, under the One-China Policy. From 1945 to 1971, UN recognized the ROC as the representative of China and did not recognize PRC. After 1971, UN recognizes PRC as the sole representative and does not recognize Taiwan/ROC as a country.