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| IcaroRibeiro said: I never even understood why it was illegal when tobaco is legal |
It was part racism that made it illegal
“Plant-based drugs were demonized and linked to race-based policies. For smoking opium, it was Chinese-Canadians and the fear of the mixing of races – that women would be corrupted by Chinese men, or Black men [with cannabis], and abandon their family [to] have a life of crime and addiction.
And because of competition with the cotton industry
Cannabis was legal up until 1934 in the United States. In fact, cannabis sativa was a common household plant (my great grandmother used to have one in her living room). Hemp, a form of cannabis low in THC, was used to make rope, clothing, fabric, etc.. It is a wonder plant. Cannabis is disease resistant, drought resistant, UV light resistant (property of THC), and can grow just about anywhere. However, it contains a psychoactive compound called THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). This is where Harry J. Anslinger comes in. He was the first head of the Federal Bureua of Narcotics from 1930–1962. In 1930 the talks of a “narcotic act” began because heroin and other powerful opioids where becoming a problem in American society. The original list of narcotics included just narcotics. Unfortunately, Anslinger was heavily lobbied by cotton companies to add in marijuana to the act. Why you might ask? Hemp is a trillion times better than cotton and they knew it. It was killing the cotton industry so they lobbied Harry Anslinger to make it illegal for made up reasons. Harry J. Anslinger in his plea to add marijuana into the act…
“launched a nationwide media campaign declaring that marijuana causes temporary insanity. The advertisements featured young people smoking marijuana and then behaving recklessly, committing crimes, killing themselves and others, or dying from marijuana use. The propaganda campaign was a success and all states signed on.”
Tobacco was already culturally appropriated by the European settlers and has been commercially produced since the 1800s.
Health issues are the last reason why things get regulated :/
