Jim Finnel
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex News Moderator
"Marihuana is a short cut to the insane asylum," reads the article in the January, 1923 Examiner. "Smoke marihuana cigarettes for a month and what was once your brain will be nothing but a storehouse of horrid specters."
There is no doubt that cannabis faces a harsh stigma in our country, but where did it all begin? After all, our founding fathers grew hemp and saw it as a cash crop, an opportunity for America. George Washington told the country to "Make the most of the Indian hemp seed. Sow it everywhere."
Hemp (cannabis sativa) was first planted in America by Puritans in the 16th century. In the 17th century, the U.S. government encouraged farmers to grow hemp to be used for ropes, sails, and clothes. Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Ben Franklin all grew hemp and were proponents of its usefulness. The Constitution was even drafted by Thomas Jefferson on paper made from hemp. In fact, even up until the end of the 19th century, marijuana was sold openly in pharmacies as a remedy for many afflictions.
The first marijuana and hemp regulations were put into place in 1906 in Washington, D.C. The measures were not the result of concern about widespread use but as initiatives to discourage future use. These laws led to similar regulations being instituted in 11 other states.
As recreational use increased in the 1920s and 1930s, fear of marijuana's effects began to spread from sensational newspaper stories that linked marijuana to opiates such as opium and heroin. Cannabis users were portrayed as violent and blood crazed. The stories stressed how easy it was for a dealer to trick nice people into using marijuana and how a peaceful town could have an underlying dark side.
The fear created by sensational news stories led to the proposal of the "Marihuana Tax Act of 1937." Introduced by the "drug czar" Harry Anslinger, the act levied a modest tax on people who grew and sold hemp or cannabis. Although the tax was not significant, the regulations were complicated and a violation could be punished by five years in prison and a $2,000 fine. This discouraged the production of hemp and cannabis. Before the act, there were about 15,000 square kilometers of hemp being grown in America. Two years afterwards, the number decreased significantly to 1,700 square kilometers. The American Medical Association (AMA) opposed the bill because the taxes and regulations could be imposed on physicians prescribing marijuana.
The Boggs Act of 1952 and the Narcotics Control Act of 1956 imposed mandatory sentences and fines. The mandatory sentences were later repealed, but it did create a domino effect in drug laws. Numerous states passed laws that required mandatory sentences for possession and cultivation.
In the 1970s, many states lowered their minimum sentences as a period of decriminalization swept the nation. In 1978, Robert Randall sued the federal government for arresting him for the possession of marijuana used to treat his glaucoma, becoming the first legal user of medical marijuana. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set up a program to grow marijuana that provided Randall with 300 marijuana cigarettes a month. Today, seven people are still enrolled in the program, and some patients have been urging George W. Bush to re-open the program. Eleven states now have provisions for medical marijuana included in their drug law.
According to government statistics, marijuana prohibition costs the tax payers at least $7.5 billion annually even though many Americans feel the War on Drugs has failed. 70 million Americans have tried marijuana at sometime in their life, 18 million have smoked in the last year, and 10 million are regular users. Instead of using the money spent to fight a senseless war, the American government could put a vice tax on marijuana like it does with tobacco and alcohol. The money could be used to fund education and rehabilitation programs which have been shown to be more successful than criminal prosecution. The next president will need to take a serious look at the failures of prohibition and make informed decisions to help our country.
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: The Retriever Weekly
Author: Brian Tschiegg
Copyright: 2008 The Retriever Weekly
Contact: The Retriever Weekly
Website: The Retriever Weekly
There is no doubt that cannabis faces a harsh stigma in our country, but where did it all begin? After all, our founding fathers grew hemp and saw it as a cash crop, an opportunity for America. George Washington told the country to "Make the most of the Indian hemp seed. Sow it everywhere."
Hemp (cannabis sativa) was first planted in America by Puritans in the 16th century. In the 17th century, the U.S. government encouraged farmers to grow hemp to be used for ropes, sails, and clothes. Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Ben Franklin all grew hemp and were proponents of its usefulness. The Constitution was even drafted by Thomas Jefferson on paper made from hemp. In fact, even up until the end of the 19th century, marijuana was sold openly in pharmacies as a remedy for many afflictions.
The first marijuana and hemp regulations were put into place in 1906 in Washington, D.C. The measures were not the result of concern about widespread use but as initiatives to discourage future use. These laws led to similar regulations being instituted in 11 other states.
As recreational use increased in the 1920s and 1930s, fear of marijuana's effects began to spread from sensational newspaper stories that linked marijuana to opiates such as opium and heroin. Cannabis users were portrayed as violent and blood crazed. The stories stressed how easy it was for a dealer to trick nice people into using marijuana and how a peaceful town could have an underlying dark side.
The fear created by sensational news stories led to the proposal of the "Marihuana Tax Act of 1937." Introduced by the "drug czar" Harry Anslinger, the act levied a modest tax on people who grew and sold hemp or cannabis. Although the tax was not significant, the regulations were complicated and a violation could be punished by five years in prison and a $2,000 fine. This discouraged the production of hemp and cannabis. Before the act, there were about 15,000 square kilometers of hemp being grown in America. Two years afterwards, the number decreased significantly to 1,700 square kilometers. The American Medical Association (AMA) opposed the bill because the taxes and regulations could be imposed on physicians prescribing marijuana.
The Boggs Act of 1952 and the Narcotics Control Act of 1956 imposed mandatory sentences and fines. The mandatory sentences were later repealed, but it did create a domino effect in drug laws. Numerous states passed laws that required mandatory sentences for possession and cultivation.
In the 1970s, many states lowered their minimum sentences as a period of decriminalization swept the nation. In 1978, Robert Randall sued the federal government for arresting him for the possession of marijuana used to treat his glaucoma, becoming the first legal user of medical marijuana. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) set up a program to grow marijuana that provided Randall with 300 marijuana cigarettes a month. Today, seven people are still enrolled in the program, and some patients have been urging George W. Bush to re-open the program. Eleven states now have provisions for medical marijuana included in their drug law.
According to government statistics, marijuana prohibition costs the tax payers at least $7.5 billion annually even though many Americans feel the War on Drugs has failed. 70 million Americans have tried marijuana at sometime in their life, 18 million have smoked in the last year, and 10 million are regular users. Instead of using the money spent to fight a senseless war, the American government could put a vice tax on marijuana like it does with tobacco and alcohol. The money could be used to fund education and rehabilitation programs which have been shown to be more successful than criminal prosecution. The next president will need to take a serious look at the failures of prohibition and make informed decisions to help our country.
News Hawk: User: 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: The Retriever Weekly
Author: Brian Tschiegg
Copyright: 2008 The Retriever Weekly
Contact: The Retriever Weekly
Website: The Retriever Weekly
