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Marijuana is one of the oldest psychoactive drugs known to man. It may be of little surprise that it has only been illegal for less than 1% of this known existence. The U.S. history of marijuana and its prohibition can be exhausting and eye opening. In the first installement of the HMJ ganjamentary “Howijuana: Marijuana’s past, present…our future”. Disregarding what some consider to be common knowledge and with the help of PBS.org, we’ll take a trip into time…kidding…just click continue reading.

Cannabis or Indian Hemp Seed production was encouraged in America from the 1600s to the 1900s. During some periods you could be jailed for not growing the plant…the weed. In 1850 US census recorded 8,327 cannabis plantations with at least 2,000 acres of cannabis on each, during this time the plant was mainly used for agricultural purposes and its medicinal value was not widely known. The 1900s marked a shift in how marijuana was viewed.

In 1910 during the conclusion of the Mexican Revolution the United States; mainly South Western States and California, saw an increase in Mexican Immigrants. With  immigration came the introduction of marijuana for recreational use.  Staring with but not limited to Massachusetts in 1911, California in 1913 and Utah in 1915 states slowly began to outlaw marijuana. Into and through the 1920 resentment and misconceptions grew into a grumbling fear.

The 1930s held a new bag of events in for the history of cannabis. Reported to be a “menace” and a “loco weed” marijuana and the reputations of minorities began to accumulate a slew of biased, heinous and unproven statements paraded as facts. In 1930 the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) was established. Harry J. Anslinger served as its first commissioner and secured that office until 1962. With yellow journalism in both print and the news spreading lurid stories of marijuana and minorities–states changed their marijuana laws seemingly overnight. With anti-marijuana laws upheld in 29 states the FBN encouraged all other states to follow suit; using coercion rather than legislation, with the Uniform State Narcotic Act in 1932.

 Yellow Journalism: negative PR campaign based around racism, bigotry and corruption, which ultimately led to the creation of the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act.

With the birth of propaganda between the 1920s and the 1930s “Reefer Madness” directed by Louis Gasnier debuted in 1936. This film warned viewers of the evils of marijuana, the perils it can impend on youngsters and claims that it is a “deadly narcotic”. After drenching the nation in “lurid” national propaganda campaigns Congress passes the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937, federally crimizing marijuana. Even with all the anti-marijuana campaigns the sentiment towards marijuana changes when America takes part in WWII.

During WWII marijuana was praised by the Department of Agriculture for its many uses. With lack of importing and material scarcity, marijuana took the hearts and lands of America once again for its rich agricultural properties. The “Hemp for Victory” campaign of the 1940s not only handed out seeds to farmers but promised draft suspension for those who would grow cannabis. As a result the U.S. found itself with a recorded 375,000 acres of cannabis by 1943.

In the 1950s and 1960s; as a result of various political and cultural degrees, marijuana was pushed into a counterculture.

Enactment of federal laws (Boggs Act, 1952; Narcotics Control Act, 1956) which set mandatory sentences for drug-related offenses, including marijuana.

A first-offense marijuana possession carried a minimum sentence of 2-10 years with a fine of up to $20,000.

However, with the bad…comes the good. Research spearheaded by President John F. Kennedy and (at the time) Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson found that marijuana did not induce violence nor did it lead to harsher drug use. In 1962 President John. F. Kennedy; known to smoke marijuana, fired Federal Bureau of Narcotics commissioner, Harry J. Anslinger. The FBN was merged with the Bureau of Dangerous Drugs (of Food and Drug Administration) to create the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs

By the 1970s Congress began to repeal mandatory sentencing. Marijuana was separated from other narcotics and federal mandatory sentencing was eliminated for possessions of small amounts of marijuana (Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970). This also marked the founding of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). The Shafer Commission recommended that personal use of marijuana should be decriminalized. Nixon rejected this reccommendation in 1972. Regardless eleven states decriminalized marijuana through the 70s. Just when things get good in 1976 parents begin to lobby for harsher marijuana restrictions and sentencing, ultimately teaming up with the DEA and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to head up the 1980s War of Drugs.

Raising penalties and going from comprehensive to anti, President Reagan signed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act in 1986 once again creating a federal mandatory sentence and introducing the “3 strikes” program. Beyond mandatory sentencing multiple “offenders” could face life while allowing the death penalty for any considered to be drug king pins. By 1989 President Bush had publicly and nationally declared a new War on Drugs. Waters pretty much lay still until 1996.

In 1996 Californians voted for Proposition 215 to allow the sale of medicinal marijuana to patients with carious illnesses most considered painful, serious and/or terminal though it stands in contradiction of federal law.

So…what’s the lesson? The lesson is that loving Mary Jane is the same as any other relationship. It’s hard and takes a lot of work. Sometimes people want her…sometimes they call her names and want to lock her up. Then they look over their shoulder and realize she’s just one gorgeous weed. That’s not it though. Do I have my theories? Of course I do, but we’re gonna have to hit the forums for that though.

Thanks for reading the first installment of…

Howijuana: Marijuana’s past, present…our future

Image Via City Beat