When Did Weed Become Illegal In The U.S.?

We all know that cannabis use in the U.S. is a highly debated subject. Slowly but surely, more and more states are moving to fully legalize cannabis during the past few years. When did weed become illegal in the United States, and why? Read on to find out.

The early 1900s

In 1910, the Mexican Revolution forced thousands of Mexican citizens to flee their country and relocate north of the border in the U.S. Cannabis use was common in Mexico, and the immigrants used it both recreationally and medicinally. Although Americans were familiar with marijuana, apparently it was more common among the immigrants. The American media soon pointed the finger at the Mexicans for using marijuana and labeled them as ‘dangerous’ and ‘disruptive’ Mexicans.

The rumors were false and extreme, but many Americans believed the words of the trusted media over the words of the new immigrants. Among the many lies that the media portrayed about marijuana was its ability to incite violent, blood-thirsty behavior and incredible hulk-like strength. It was also said that Mexican immigrants were handing out marijuana to American children.

What was the reason for all this racism against the Mexican immigrants? The U.S. needed a way to search, detain, and ultimately, deport their unwelcome visitors at the border crossings, and marijuana was the perfect excuse.

Shortly after the widespread propaganda, California, Maine, and Wyoming banned cannabis in 1913. Two years later in 1933, an additional 26 states began prohibiting marijuana.

The 1920s

In 1925, The United States of America joined the International Opium Convention which banned the export of cannabis to countries where it was banned. This meant there was to be no more import of marijuana or hemp into the U.S.A.

During the start of the Great Depression in 1929, cannabis was once again a hot topic of conversation. Many people believed that those who smoked cannabis were lazy drug addicts that helped contribute to the economic collapse and the skyrocketing unemployment rate.

In 1930, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) was formed, with Harry Anslinger acting as the First Commissioner. Anslinger was a racist man who had a deep hatred towards ethnic minorities, once saying that “Reefer makes darkies think that they’re as good as white men.” Sounds like a swell guy, right?

He joined forces with William Randolph Hearst, the famous businessman, who also hated minorities. One reason he specifically didn’t like Mexicans was that, during the Mexican Revolution, Pancho Villa had seized 800,000 acres of his timberland.

The two teamed up with Lammot Du Pont who owned the DuPont chemical company. Du Pont had recently invented nylon in 1924. During these times, hemp was used as a fiber to make clothing and paper, which makes it a direct rival of nylon. Fun fact – in the the1600s American settlers were required by law to grow hemp in their farms.

The three were dedicated to outlawing marijuana, with money and racism being the driving force behind their campaigns.

The 1930s – when weed became illegal in the U.S.

In 1931 the government released ‘research’ that stated cannabis was directly linked to criminal activity and mostly used by communities of color and immigrants i.e: Mexicans that already had a tainted reputation. In 1932, the U.S. government urged all states to embrace the Uniform State Narcotics Act.

In the 1930s Hearst was the driving force behind a smear campaign against marijuana and its users. In 1937, the film ‘Reefer Madness’ was released. In the film, students who were pressured into smoking weed then go on to commit a series of unfortunate events including manslaughter, suicide, and attempted rape. During the same year, one of Hearst’s magazines published a false article about a teenager who smoked marijuana and then murdered his family with no recollection of what had happened.

Thankfully, not everyone was fooled by this ridiculous propaganda. In 1937, Dr. William Woodward of the American Medical Association (AMA) testified that there has been no proven evidence that marijuana is dangerous or causes violent behavior. In front of congress, he stated that there were, however, medical uses for it. Unfortunately, there were more people who were against marijuana than for it.

Marijuana officially became illegal in 1937

Ultimately, the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 was passed, and cannabis was officially made illegal.

What were the new marijuana laws? There was now a $1 tax on everyone who sold, grew, imported, or purchased medical marijuana. Violators of the law faced a $2,000 fine and a five-year jail sentence.

Doctors now had to produce a sworn statement for patients who were prescribed medical cannabis stating that they required the medicine. They also had to give the patient’s name, address, and illness.

Why did weed become illegal in America?

It’s pretty obvious that weed was outlawed in America due to money and racism. What began as a way to alienate Mexican immigrants quickly spread to money and power-hungry individuals who were concerned with nothing more than keeping their pockets deep and themselves in power.

Thankfully, times have changed and as of 2021, 30 states have decriminalized marijuana. We can only hope that in the coming years more states continue to do so.

 

If you’re interested in learning more about cannabis, check out our daily blog! There, you’ll find other articles like:

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