Since marijuana is always a popular subject, here is a historical look at marijuana’s illegalization.  Enjoy, pass it along, comment.

The Weed Controversy

Once the 1930s rolled around, and the prohibition of alcohol had failed tremendously, there was a feeling of defeat in most prohibitionists’ minds.  One of the jaded prohibitionists, Harry J. Anslinger, quickly found himself at the forefront of yet another prohibition movement in the United States.  During the latter years of alcohol prohibition, many Southwestern states were pushing for a law against marijuana as a means to persecute the Mexican immigrants who offered cheap labor during the Depression.

In response to the public’s outcry for action, the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) was founded in 1930 as an agency of the United States Department of Treasury.  Secretary of the Treasury, Andrew Mellon, felt his nephew-in-law, Harry J. Anslinger, was the perfect candidate for the job of FBN commissioner.  While Anslinger was upset over the failure of the prohibition of alcohol, the cries for action against marijuana enabled Anslinger to focus his attention on a new scapegoat substance: Marijuana. Continue Reading