This video, produced by Showtime, gives an excellent and brief history of weed.
But now here's something the adorable video doesn't cover. They mention that Federal Law bans marijuana in 1937 - the question, at least for today my loves, is why? Why is marijuana illegal?
And the answer is long and complicated. So, shall we...?
State restrictions on marijuana were first created to target Mexicans after many started to migrate to the western United States after a revolution in 1910. Pete Guithar (DrugWarrant.com) mentions a Texan Senator who is quoted on the floor saying "All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff [marijuana] is what makes them crazy."
State restrictions on marijuana were first created to target Mexicans after many started to migrate to the western United States after a revolution in 1910. Pete Guithar (DrugWarrant.com) mentions a Texan Senator who is quoted on the floor saying "All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff [marijuana] is what makes them crazy."
In the eastern United States, racism strikes again, as marijuana takes another hit. This time, however, the target is Black Jazz Musicians and Latin Americans. Guithar quotes a 1934 newspaper editorial: "Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men’s shadows and look at a white woman twice".
Over a few years the groundwork was laid for the American Anti-Marijuana movement whose roots were in racism. An effective marijuana smear campaign began which included some really excellent (albeit fictional) stories about assassins who commit genocide while under the influence of marijuana and of course this little 1936 gem:
Then let's not forget that alcohol was illegal during Prohibition, 1919 - 1933 and in 1930 the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and director Harry J. Anslinger (under the Department of Treasury, not-so-oddly enough) came onto the scene which began the all out war against marijuana.
The government continued to put out a lot of propaganda to several generations about marijuana and it's effects. Seven years after Aslinger took office, a Federal law was passed prohibiting the use of marijuana. While not as much as perhaps in the 1930s, we've grown up with anti-marijuana propaganda.
Now if you continue the rest of the adorable movie from the top you'll see that marijuana became legalized as medical in California in 1993 and is now the number one cash crop in the state. Marijuana is on the move in America once again.
Like it or not, smoke it or don't - it is interesting how involved and political this little plant has been and continues to be. It's interesting how this little plant has be used for political gain or organized oppression or to relieve pain or occasionally to get high and hang on the beach.
Catch ya on the flip side, Riff Raff.
Over a few years the groundwork was laid for the American Anti-Marijuana movement whose roots were in racism. An effective marijuana smear campaign began which included some really excellent (albeit fictional) stories about assassins who commit genocide while under the influence of marijuana and of course this little 1936 gem:
(italian subtitles?)
Then let's not forget that alcohol was illegal during Prohibition, 1919 - 1933 and in 1930 the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and director Harry J. Anslinger (under the Department of Treasury, not-so-oddly enough) came onto the scene which began the all out war against marijuana.
The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it.
~H.L. Mencken, Minority Report, 1956
The government continued to put out a lot of propaganda to several generations about marijuana and it's effects. Seven years after Aslinger took office, a Federal law was passed prohibiting the use of marijuana. While not as much as perhaps in the 1930s, we've grown up with anti-marijuana propaganda.
Now if you continue the rest of the adorable movie from the top you'll see that marijuana became legalized as medical in California in 1993 and is now the number one cash crop in the state. Marijuana is on the move in America once again.
Like it or not, smoke it or don't - it is interesting how involved and political this little plant has been and continues to be. It's interesting how this little plant has be used for political gain or organized oppression or to relieve pain or occasionally to get high and hang on the beach.
Catch ya on the flip side, Riff Raff.
No comments:
Post a Comment