Leopoldo Salazar Viniegra
Mexican doctor and psychiatrist (1897–1957) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leopoldo Salazar Viniegra (December 17, 1898 – September 23, 1957) was a Mexican doctor, psychiatrist, writer and professor whose scientific investigations influenced the legalization of drugs during the Lázaro Cárdenas administration in 1940.[3][4]
Leopoldo Salazar Viniegra | |
---|---|
Born | (1898-12-17)December 17, 1898[1] Pánuco de Coronado Municipality or San Juan del Río Municipality, Durango, Mexico |
Died | September 23, 1957(1957-09-23) (aged 58)[1] Mexico City, Mexico |
Alma mater | National Autonomous University of Mexico[2] |
Known for | Scientific investigations on cannabis and other psychoactive substances, promoting legalization of psychoactive substances in Mexico |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Psychiatry |
Institutions | La Castañeda [es] |
It was at La Castañeda [es], the institution where Salazar worked for more than twenty years, where he led many scientific investigations into the effects of marijuana.[3] These investigations, detailed in his report "El mito de la marihuana" (English: The Myth About Marijuana), helped Salazar launch into the national public discourse the de-stigmatization of drug addiction and its treatment as a disease, not a crime.[4] Due to increasing political and economic pressure from the United States government and a U.S. campaign to discredit Salazar, the law was repealed on July 3, 1940.[2] Salazar dedicated his final years to studying mental health illnesses until his death in 1957 in Mexico City.[5]