Cannabis & Prohibition
Today
marks 80 years since the cannabis prohibition began
in the United States of America. The states prohibited the
cultivation, consumption, and sale of all cannabis plants. Contrary
to popular belief, The Prohibition started in 1911, in Massachusetts.
It was required a prescription for any cannabis purchase. The States
began to individually criminalize weed over the following 20 years.
In
1937, The Marijuana Tax Act was the first piece of federal
legislation against cannabis. Many believed that the act was meant to
attack the hemp industry - since hemp is such a durable, cheap
natural fibre, and the paper and cotton industries were threatened.
Cannabis
was officially painted as a dangerous narcotic, also known as the
“gateway” drug, which created a chaos. Since the start of the
prohibition, we have come a long way. The cannabis industry is a
booming one; so much so, that there’s a term for the ever-growing
world of weed: “The Green Rush”.
There
are presently 29 states, plus the District of Columbia, with medical
marijuana programs in use. Lawmakers are constantly amending and
creating laws to make cannabis more accessible and reliable. 8
states, as well as D.C, have passed legislation allowing recreational
use of cannabis. But even with the progress made, there is still much
to do with decriminalization.
The
Marijuana Prohibition didn’t save lives – it ruined millions.
In
2008, there were 20 million arrests due to cannabis-related crimes.
The prohibition was a fail, prisons have become overpopulated due to
these petty crimes. The stories about marijuana use have changed but
the reliance on ignorance and hysteria rather than science, medical,
and social remains constant. The same argument made throughout the
last 80 years is still the same one presented today. We need to learn
from the prohibition and move forward together. And the prohibition
needs to end.
The
medical benefits alone are worth exploring...instead of pouring more
and more money into pharmaceutical companies, when we have natural
more potent remedies we could be using. It’s time to stop moving
backwards and start moving forward, together!
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