Weed, grass, pot, purp-skurp, the devil’s lettuce. These are some of the names used for the drug marijuana, which is the mind-altering substance derived from the dried buds of the Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica plants. Most commonly the buds, containing the psychoactive chemical Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and other cannabinoids, and the oils extracted from them are smoked or vaporized for respiratory ingestion; however, there are ways of making food containing the cannabinoids or even methods of concentrating the cannabinoids into waxes and other forms that allow for a more intense “high”.
Though we as Americans can freely talk and write about marijuana, it is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance under federal law meaning that it has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical uses in the eyes of the United States. This has been challenged by twenty three states which have legalized the medicinal use of cannabis and by cities such as Portland, Maine or states like Colorado and Washington which have legalized recreation marijuana.
So why is marijuana illegal? This is an extremely complex question which could have an entire doctoral thesis written about it, so I’ll do my best to summarize the main argument. Cannabis has been illegal in the United States since the enactment of the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. This was supported and brought to Congress by the director of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Harry J. Anslinger. Commonly not known, the American Medical Association (AMA) strongly opposed this measure due to the effect it would have on doctors prescribing, pharmacists selling and farmers growing medical cannabis. Dr. William Creighton Woodward, legislative council of the AMA, opposed this bill on the grounds that it was created in secret and doubting the alleged addictive and violent effects that were claimed cannabis possessed, yet the bill still passed and marijuana is still illegal in the United States.
Regardless of the fact that the use of cannabis is illegal, it is still the most commonly used illegal drug in the United States. Its popularity began with jazz musicians in the early 1920s and it was extremely prevalent with the hippie movement of the late 1960s. Throughout the 20th century, many forms of propaganda and scare tactics were used to discourage marijuana use even taking very racially prejudiced tones. During the late 20’s and early 30’s, it was rumored that marijuana use among white women would cause promiscuity and sexual contact with minorities.
Harry J. Anslinger also vocalized politically and racially motivated rhetoric against marijuana. Anslinger claimed that marijuana use is more dangerous than abuse of cocaine and heroin, and that it led to bother pacifism and communist brainwashing. Anslinger, on marijuana use by minorities, is claimed to have said, “Their Satanic music, jazz and swing result from marijuana use. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others.” He is also said to have stated that marijuana would make African Americans think that they were equal to White men. Though these arguments seem to be lacking in empirical evidence, extremely insufficient and racist to today’s standards, they seemed to have had the effect that they were intended for- namely to scare people into abhorring cannabis use.
At this point in the article, you probably have inferred that I really do not support the prohibition on cannabis use. Personally, I do not see anything immoral in the ingestion of a substance; however, I do think that moral implication comes into place with the actions that people engage in after taking said substances. Though propaganda such as the famous 1936 film Reefer Madness correlated marijuana use with extremely violent acts, I firmly do not believe that there is any evidence to support this claim. Studies have suggested that marijuana use can aid in the aggression of teens, but violence is a multi-causal event and there still has not been a positive correlation established between violent-aggression in adults.
Furthermore, marijuana does not possess the ability to cause a physical addiction, and the new, fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders uses the term “cannabis use” as opposed to the DSM-IV term “cannabis abuse” to describe mild to moderate consumption of marijuana. From an economic perspective, the United States uses a monstrous amount of money fighting a “Drug War” that cannot be won. Harvard University economist Dr. Jeffery Miron estimates that abandoning cannabis prohibition could save approximately $7.7 billion in law enforcement and generate about $2.4 billion in revenue if it were taxed as other consumer goods are. Doesn’t it seem obvious that a country with a public debt of over $18 trillion could use its funds in a more productive manner than an initiative against drugs, which seems to have no effect on use?
Studies by the United States have indicated that approximately 15 million Americans use marijuana on a monthly basis, and a 2013 Gallup Poll indicates that 38% of Americans have used marijuana at least once in their life. According to the United States, at least 38% of Americans and a decent portion of Gusties are petty criminals. After stating this, I’m assuming that I’ll be approached by someone about a survey done that contradicts my claims, but let’s be honest, how many people are completely truthful on those surveys? I encourage all of you to do your research, and do not fear going against common opinion. Vale!
-Sean Kehren