On August 2, 1937, marijuana became illegal at the federal level. The dynamic duo of Harry Anslinger and William Randolph Hearst joined forces with the Dupont chemical company along with various pharmaceutical companies in an all out war against the “devil weed.”
Thus began an epic battle that is still being waged today, and one that will never end in my opinion.
In order to understand why I believe that the government will not relent on this war on drugs, I think one has to understand the reasons for the war in the first place. The first marijuana law in America was passed in 1619 and actually ordered farmers to grow the Indian hempseed.
Back then, the hemp plant was praised for its versatility and even considered legal tender.
In the early 1900s an influx of Mexican laborers caused great tensions among the farmers in America. This, along with the Mexican revolution spilling over our borders, created an atmosphere of racism against the Mexicans. The government knew the Mexicans enjoyed smoking marijuana and began pointing out that this is what separated them from the white man and made them dangerous.
All minorities were quickly identified as abusers of marijuana and were therefore dangers to society and the white way of life. The major pharmaceutical and chemical companies, along with crooked politicians, used this as their platform to pass the marijuana tax act.
Fast forward to the present day and we still see the same tricks used to keep marijuana illegal.
In recent years, 14states, as well as our own capitol, have defied the federal law and passed legislation allowing the medical use of marijuana. This is great news to those who truly benefit from the medicinal properties of our beloved plant, but I think we have to take this small victory with a grain of salt.
While these laws have allowed those in need to receive life altering treatment, it has also given more ammunition to the anti-drug coalition. They point out the blatant abuse of the system by people who hold the medical marijuana cards for a vast array of laughable ailments.
I can’t knock the people who misuse the system as I would be one if I lived in a state that allowed it, but please don’t try to sell me your “medical” agenda. Although the medical movement is important, I feel it is the wrong way to go about getting the government to repeal prohibition. While I enjoy the stories of police being forced to return marijuana plants to a licensed medical grower, I have to believe this only strengthens the government’s position among the drug war believers.
While the reasoning and social culture have changed since that sad August day, the foundation for prohibition remains the same. Major companies use their power and influence to keep marijuana, even strains with no psychedelic properties, illegal. There is far too much money and political influence from these companies for the legalization movement to gain any steam. Couple this with the ridiculously racist American prison complex, and you have an environment where change is close to impossible.
I do stress that we continue to fight for our right to parrrrrrrrty, but I will not hold my smoky breath.
Tags: caldwell, cannabis, farmer, federal, hemp, law, marijuana, medical, prohabition, prop 19, samuel r caldwell
