| This video is a brief history of marijuana (the video length is 4:20 ... clever). It discusses its use throughout history, dating back over 5000 years ago. Since the beginning of its use, marijuana has long been seen as having medicinal uses and benefits. Once it made its way to North America it was largely used for industrial purposes becoming a cash crop like tobacco and cotton. It was used for making everything from paper, to rope, to oil, etc. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were both marijuana farmers. The Deceleration of Independence as well as the first American flag were made with hemp. Anti-immigrant sentiments and racial discrimination lead to legal attacks against marijuana with Harry Anslinger claiming that "... marijuana smoking by white women makes them want to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and others." This than lead to propaganda against marijuana use. In 1970 the controlled substance act was passed, making marijuana a Schedule I drug. In the 1980s marijuana had a zero tolerance policy, and mandatory sentencing sent many nonviolent (mostly young Blacks and Hispanics) people into jail. The last 3 Presidents have all admitted to using marijuana, and many states have begun legalizing medicinal and recreational marijuana throughout the United States. With such a long and positive history with marijuana, why just the past 100 years has marijuana use been discriminated against? In my opinion it was initially due to racial inequality, and the country wanting to have control over the minorities. As time went on I feel as though it has switched to an economic issue of sorts, with big companies not wanting it to be legalized. Think about all of the things it would replace, it could replace MANY pharmaceutical drugs, which obviously the drug companies don't want. It could replace the paper industry, which they don't want. It could replace the cotton industry, which they don't want. The fact is that large corporations are the ones who are now keeping marijuana illegal at a federal level. This is a major economic issue that needs to be addressed. |