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My premise is that what if, instead of Tobacco becoming the massively exported commodity it had become in Europe during the beginnings of the modern era, Cannabis did. We know that Cannabis had been smoked during antiquity, the Historian Herodotus claims "The Scythians, as I said, take some of this hemp-seed [presumably, flowers], and, creeping under the felt coverings, throw it upon the red-hot stones; immediately it smokes, and gives out such a vapour as no Grecian vapour-bath can exceed; the Scyths, delighted, shout for joy." we also know that the Greeks and Romans enjoyed its use in their conquered middle eastern provinces. During the early modern era we also know that hemp spread in North America as a construction material. So in this scenario, let's just say Tobacco never achieves the massive following that it did in our timeline, and instead Marijuana, Hashish and other Cannabis based drugs take it's place. People like that it's better and cheaper than drinking without the ill effects of alcoholism.

How different do you think the world would be in this scenario? This one is somewhat more of a sillier timeline, but I think it's an interesting thought exercise. It's definitely possible, it's not ASB.
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