The Beginning of America’s Cannabis Prohibition
It is generally accepted that Cannabis is significantly less harmful than alcohol and cigarettes, leaving many to wonder why cannabis is illegal but alcohol and tobacco are not. The answer has to do more with politics than science. Despite a majority of specialists reporting that cannabis poses no threat to society or individuals and recommending cannabis not be criminalized, political figures insisted children would suffer if cannabis remained accessible to the public. Claims were made that it caused teen girls to date black men and adolescents in general to lose their ambition and throw away their futures in order to use drugs (cannabis being the proverbial ‘gateway drug’).
The current cannabis prohibition began in 1937 with the passage of the Marihuana Tax Act. The first commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Harry Anslinger, picked a fight with the plant as a way to stay relevant after alcohol prohibition ended. Despite mounting evidence that cannabis posed no threat to society, and after early statements asserting cannabis was not a threat, Anlinger used fear—specifically fear of the black and growing latino communities—to get public support behind. Anslinger began calling cannabis ‘marihuana’ to further drive home the plants’ connection to Mexican immigrants whom the working class feared would take their jobs and taint their communities.
Strong propaganda campaigns began in the 1920s and ‘30s portraying marijuana as a substance that would drive you insane and cause you to commit criminal acts. Multiple articles were published alleging that cannabis use led to insanity and murder. Movies such as Reefer Madness and Assassin of Youth were created to scare adolescents away from cannabis use. This propaganda not only vilified the use of cannabis, but also linked it to minority groups and subcultures (perhaps most notably jazz culture and beatniks) and subsequently worked to vilify these groups as well.
Conservative politicians maintained the trope causing stigma to grow around cannabis use. Marijuana has been classified as a Schedule I, drug alongside heroin and ecstasy, meaning that the federal government doesn’t recognize any legitimate medical uses for cannabis. We all know this is absurd—science (and history) has proven there are multiple medical uses for cannabis. Luckily the sigma is quickly abating and politicians are beginning to admit that the prohibition was a mistake and are taking steps to correct the damage that has been done. Almost every presidential candidate has set forth a plan for marijuana legalization, and most include reevaluating drug charges for those serving time or having prior cannabis convictions. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have even said they would legalize marijuana by executive order if they are elected!
The legalization of cannabis is inevitable and most Americans, regardless of their politics, are okay with this. And those of us that have experienced infinite relief from medical cannabis thank you for helping to make our medicine more available.
For a more complete timeline of the war on drugs check out