TAMPA DAILY TIMES - (around Oct 19, 1933) - Marajuana Joints and Dealers Listed For Clean-up Drive By Law -Agencies

Every, law enforcement agency in Hillsborough County was ready today to open a fight to the finish against the sale of marajuana, the narcotic which indirectly caused the murder of a family of five Tampans. Promised the help of State and County officials in a drive against the dope. Police Chief Logan issued orders to his men to stamp out the traffic in Tampa, and to stay on the job until the last particle of the murderous weed has been driven out of the city.

I will use the police vice squad, automobile theft bureau, detective force and every other agency at my disposal to see that the sale of marijuana is stopped," he said. "The County solicitor, sheriff and other State, County and Federal authorities have promised to cooperate with the police in a drive against marajuana, and it will be only a matter of time until the situation is under control."

Recently officers, armed with information assembled during several weeks of investigation, staged raids throughout the city and arrested 22 men suspected of using or selling the weed. Five of them were charged in Criminal Court under the State law adopted by the 1933 Legislature. But the use of marajuana, despite the raids continued to progress until, today, it constitutes a deadly menace to the city, officials declare.

Victor Licata, who early yesterday slaughtered his mother and father, a sister and two brothers, is known to have been a marajuana addict, officers declare.

It is among young people, investigators declare, where marajuana has made its greatest inroads. The recent investigation revealed appalling information concerning the use of the cigarettes among 'teen-age boys and girls, and numerous cases have been reported of youths whose minds are on the verge of cracking because of their frequent visits to the "muggles" joints, where marajuana addicts gather to smoke the weed.

Originally a Mexican narcotic, marajuana was imported into the United States through the southwestern states. It spread into the larger cities of the North and within recent years, has been brought into the South. Because of its comparative cheapness-a cigarette retails from 30 cents to 50 cents---it has become a popular "thrill" producer among youths.