When was the earliest known use of nonmedical drugs in the United States?

The earliest known use of nonmedical drugs in the United States can indeed be traced back to the 1600s, coinciding with the European colonization of North America. During this period, various indigenous plants and substances were utilized by Native American tribes for a variety of purposes, including ceremonial, medicinal, and recreational uses. The settlers interacted with these indigenous practices, leading to the adoption of some nonmedical drugs among European colonists as well.

This historical context highlights how nonmedical drug use was present in the early days of the settlement of the United States, long before the specific events mentioned in the other options. The Gold Rush era in the early 1800s and the industrial expansions of the late 1800s certainly saw significant developments in drug use and availability, including the rise of patent medicines and social drug use, but these came later in the timeline. Additionally, the onset of Prohibition in the early 1900s primarily focused on the ban of alcoholic beverages, marking another era of change in drug regulation and cultural attitudes but also occurring well after the earlier instances of nonmedical drug use in the 1600s.