Own your ow legal marijuana business | Your guide to making money in the multi-billion dollar marijuana industry |
Basic Facts About the War on Drugs |
|
When and why was marijuana outlawed?California, 1913 The first state marijuana prohibition law was passed in California in 1913. The law received no public notice in the press. It was passed as an obscure technical amendment by the State Board of Pharmacy, which was then leading one of the nation's earliest and most aggressive anti-narcotics campaigns. Prior to the passage of the law, there was no indication that cannabis was a problem in California. The Origins of Cannabis Prohibition in California from California NORML Utah, 1914 Utah outlawed marijuana in 1914. A number of Mormons moved to Mexico when polygamy was outlawed in Utah in 1910. When they returned to Utah, marijuana was one of the things they brought back with them. Marijuana was outlawed with a number of other common vices as part of Mormon religious prohibitions enacted into law. Other state laws 1915-37 Marijuana was outlawed in 30 states by 1930. There were two primary reasons for the laws. In the southwestern states, marijuana was outlawed because of racial prejudice against the Mexicans who used it. As one Texas legislator said, "All Mexicans are crazy and this stuff (marijuana) is what makes them crazy." In the other states, it was outlawed because of fears that heroin addiction would lead to the use of marijuana - exactly the opposite of the modern "gateway" myth. The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 Marijuana was outlawed at the national level in the US by the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. (Note that the US Government has traditionally used the spelling "marihuana".) There were a number of reasons given for its passage in the congressional testimony. The quotes included:
There was no credible evidence that any of these statements were actually true. See also:
|