Read the Beforeitsnews.com story here. Advertise at Before It's News here.
Profile image
By Nicole Morgan (Investigative Reporter)
Contributor profile | More stories
Story Views
Now:
Last hour:
Last 24 hours:
Total:

The Real Reasons Marijuana Is Outlawed- It's Worse Than You Think (Video)

% of readers think this story is Fact. Add your two cents.


 

(N.Morgan) To get an idea of how cannabis became so stigmatized, you have to understand something about a plant that is very similar to cannabis but different enough that making it illegal would be preposterous: hemp.

If you knew there was a plant available to us today that could be grown in pretty much any soil, could thrive without the use of pesticides, and could be farmed with very little maintenance, and that this magical plant could be used for a very large number of necessities and goods we use today, but we are doing nothing about it. This plant can be utilized in so many ways, it is almost limitless in its uses.

The majority of people take issue with the fact that hemp looks very much like marijuana and is technically in the same family of plants. But unlike modern MaryJane, it does not contain anywhere near the amount of THC needed for someone to get high if they were to smoke it. The funny thing is, in the United States, hemp is just as illegal to grow as marijuana is. But how can this be? If we can’t get high from it, then what’s the problem?

In the past, hemp was used for many things: clothes, cars, plastics, building materials, rope, paper, linens, food, medicine and so on. In fact, it used to be mandatory in the United States for farmers to grow hemp if they had the land. 

The fact is, hemp was very popular throughout the 1800’s and 1900’s because it was incredibly useful and easy to grow, and its derived products were so long lasting. But one day that all changed; it became illegal and so did its friend cannabis (marijuana). How did this happen?

The History

During Herbert Hoover’s presidency, Andrew Mellon became Hoover’s Secretary of the Treasury and Dupont’s primary investor. He appointed his future nephew-in-law, Harry J. Anslinger, to head the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.

Secret meetings were held by these financial tycoons. Hemp was declared dangerous and a threat to their billion dollar enterprises. For their dynasties to remain intact, hemp had to go. This then led them to take an obscure Mexican slang word – ‘marijuana’ – and push it into the consciousness of America. The reason why they changed the name was because everyone knew of hemp and how amazing it was for the world. They would never be able to get away with banning hemp, so they used a name they knew no one would recognize.

Not long after this plan was set in place, the media began a blitz of ‘yellow journalism’ in the late 1920’s and 1930’s. Yellow journalism is essentially journalism where stories with catchy headlines are put into the mainstream media to get attention, yet these stories are not well researched or backed up. They are often used simply to sway public opinion. Many newspapers were pumping stories emphasizing the horrors and dangers of marijuana. The “menace” of marijuana made headlines everywhere. Readers learned that it was responsible for everything from car accidents to looser morals, and it wasn’t long before public opinion started to shape.

Next came several films like Reefer Madness (1936), Marijuana: Assassin of Youth (1935) and Marijuana: The Devil’s Weed (1936), which were all propaganda films designed by these industrialists to create an enemy out of marijuana. Reefer Madness was possibly the most interesting of the films, as it depicted a man going crazy from smoking marijuana and then murdering his family with an axe. With all of these films, the goal was to gain public support so that anti-marijuana laws could be passed without objection.

Have a look at the following regarding marijuana from The Burning Question, aka Reefer Madness:

A violent narcotic

Acts of shocking violence

Incurable insanity

Soul-destroying effects

Under the influence of the drug he killed his entire family with an ax

More vicious, more deadly even than these soul-destroying drugs (heroin, cocaine), is the menace of Marijuana!

Unlike most films with a simple ending, Reefer Madness ended with bold words on the screen: TELL YOUR CHILDREN.

During the 1930’s, things were different from today in significant ways. The population did not question authority or the media to the extent that we do now, and they did not have tools like the Internet to quickly spread information and learn about things that were happening. Most built their opinions and beliefs off of the news via print, radio, or cinema. As a result (and thanks to the explicit instruction of mainstream news), many people did tell their children about marijuana. Thus, public opinion about this plant was formed.

On April 14, 1937, the Prohibitive Marijuana Tax Law, the bill that outlawed hemp, was directly brought to the House Committee on Ways and Means. Simply put, this committee is the only one that could introduce a bill to the House floor without it being debated by other committees. At the time, the Chairman of the Ways and Means was Robert Doughton, who was a Dupont supporter. With vested interest, he insured that the bill would pass in Congress.

In an attempt to prevent the bill from being passed, Dr. James Woodward, a physician and attorney, attempted to testify on behalf of the American Medical Association. He mentioned that the reason the AMA had not denounced the Marijuana Tax Law sooner was that the Association had just discovered that marijuana was hemp (or at least a strain of it).

Why Is Marijuana Banned? The Real Reasons Are Worse Than You Think

Marijuana and hemp are both varieties of Cannabis sativa, but this distinction was purposefully obscured from the public. Since the law was not focused on banning one or the other, both found their way into the ban. The AMA recognized cannabis/marijuana as a medicine found in numerous healing products sold that had been used for quite some time. The AMA, like many others, did not realize that the deadly menace they had been reading about in the media was in fact hemp.

In September of 1937, hemp prohibition began. What was arguably the most useful plant known to man at the time, at least in the West, became illegal to grow and use: cannabis (marijuana) and hemp, one used to give a bad name to the other, even though neither should have realistically garnered that negative backlash. To this day, this plant is still illegal to grow in the United States.

To the public, Congress banned hemp and cannabis because it was said to be a violent and dangerous drug. In reality, hemp does nothing more than act as an amazing resource to virtually any industry and any product, and cannabis is and can be a useful medical substance that, when administered correctly, can have many benefits.

But it should also be mentioned that cannabis has been abused over the years and does have its negative side effects. This is a reality many in the community don’t want to admit but it has to be said. We know the effects it has on regular users under 25 years old as well as what heavy regular use can do to serotonin levels.

In today’s world it is clear we are in some trouble when it comes to how we treat our environment. The resources and practices we use today for energy, as well as product creation, are very harmful and toxic to not just our planet but ourselves. Despite the awareness that exists about hemp as an option to transform how things can be done on this planet, governments continue to ban this plant, and it is still often mistaken for marijuana due to their similar appearance.

Fortunately more cultural and regulatory progress is being made on the side of cannabis to not only illustrate the value of it medically, but also to better understand its potential dangers. This helps distinguish the difference between fact and fiction, so we can use the plant responsibly while taking advantage of its benefits.

References:

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2016/02/13/why-is-marijuana-outlawed-the-real-reasons-are-worse-than-you-think/

http://www.mjic.com/cannabis-a-timeline/

http://video.beforeitsnews.com/why-is-marijuana-banned-the-real-reasons-are-worse-than-you-think_2370101be.html

https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/study-cannabis-double-edged-sword-27677

http://www.hempfarm.org/Papers/Hemp_Facts.html

http://www.hempcar.org/hempfacts.shtml

See all stories by N. Morgan



Before It’s News® is a community of individuals who report on what’s going on around them, from all around the world.

Anyone can join.
Anyone can contribute.
Anyone can become informed about their world.

"United We Stand" Click Here To Create Your Personal Citizen Journalist Account Today, Be Sure To Invite Your Friends.

Please Help Support BeforeitsNews by trying our Natural Health Products below!


Order by Phone at 888-809-8385 or online at https://mitocopper.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomic.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST

Order by Phone at 866-388-7003 or online at https://www.herbanomics.com M - F 9am to 5pm EST


Humic & Fulvic Trace Minerals Complex - Nature's most important supplement! Vivid Dreams again!

HNEX HydroNano EXtracellular Water - Improve immune system health and reduce inflammation.

Ultimate Clinical Potency Curcumin - Natural pain relief, reduce inflammation and so much more.

MitoCopper - Bioavailable Copper destroys pathogens and gives you more energy. (See Blood Video)

Oxy Powder - Natural Colon Cleanser!  Cleans out toxic buildup with oxygen!

Nascent Iodine - Promotes detoxification, mental focus and thyroid health.

Smart Meter Cover -  Reduces Smart Meter radiation by 96%! (See Video).

Report abuse

    Comments

    Your Comments
    Question   Razz  Sad   Evil  Exclaim  Smile  Redface  Biggrin  Surprised  Eek   Confused   Cool  LOL   Mad   Twisted  Rolleyes   Wink  Idea  Arrow  Neutral  Cry   Mr. Green

    Total 26 comments
    • becomingme

      Thank you for a very well researched article.

      • Equalizer

        Fact: because it would put the DEA and pharmaceutical industry back in the stench hole in which they crawled out of.

    • 2QIK4U

      This information though true ,is very old and outdated . The pshychotropical level in a natural plant with no additive boosters grown outdoor is 8 – 12 % . BUT! The levels that can be easily achieved with hydroponics and nutrient boosters can easily achieve a pshychotropical % of a whopping 35 – 40%! This is great information for beginning to understand cannianoids for people just starting out. But it goes way beyond this. Just ask the CSIRO of the Australian government . They perfected it 20 years ago, and been illegal ever since :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :idea: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

    • 2QIK4U

      Whoops, its spelt CANNABINOIDS ma bad :lol:

    • 2QIK4U

      Every Article on BEFORE IT’s BINNED is YELLOW JOURNALISM so if you know all about it, why do it :?:

    • Pink Slime

      Hello Angle#3(prelim),

      Charlie here. Yes, well known for years now how useful is hemp. I do not know why it is not grown as we all know the difference now. Heard it makes incredibly good rope! Good for hanging you know….

      But the powers that be saw it as a THREAT to their growing empire and made sure to put hemp away. Now that we know the truth about hemp it can be grown again.

      I believe Thomas Jefferson grew hemp!

      Signed,

      Charlie (hemp made doughnuts – now that’s something to think about) :lol:

      • 2QIK4U

        So did old Abe :mrgreen:

    • zero

      The cannabis plant is one of the most versatile crops on earth. In a sane world, that would mean it’s one of the most valuable crops, but in OUR world, that means it’s seen as competition by numerous interests. Chemical companies, drug companies and forest companies were united by a common adversary.

      • Dustdevil

        Both Hemp and ‘Weed’ come from the same Cannabis Sativa L. plant, but just as Kias are cars like Porsches are cars, the hemp variants are selected due to very low THC content, unlike high-THC ‘smoking’ blends.

        The irony is that both strains can produce excellent fibers. They are in more products than you realize. They make good cardboard, excellent particle board (OSB, by some trade names), and I know of at least two auto manufacturers that use ‘press-formed-hemp’ to make the interior door bolsters for new cars.

        The reason that marijuana is illegal has to do with ‘untraceable trade’ and ‘de-legitimizing of Federally Approved Drugs’. If you can grow it for a dollar a field, why would you pay a pharmacist hundreds or thousands of dollars for a commercial-drug that worked half as well? You wouldn’t.

        Just like Prohibition wasn’t to ‘stop the nation from drinking’, but actually used to change Henry Ford’s mind about making his Model-T an alcohol burner (and the repeal of Prohibition was to stop the nation from destroying itself due to people tired of the ridiculous government laws), the same tactic was used against marijuana and hemp. Hemp was ‘guilty by association’, and that was its only crime.

        In fact, most of the ropes used in the Navy are still hemp, and that hemp is often imported from other nations who can legally grow it, due to the fact that there is very little U.S. grown hemp, and that is by permit from the Feds only.

        Meanwhile, Mexican drug cartels have lobbyists in Washington D.C., right now, spending billions yearly to help convince politicians to ‘listen to them’, not you, the voter, about what is ‘best for the nation’. I don’t see anything changing anytime soon for marijuana, as a result. There’s just not enough profit to make it happen.

    • Pilgrim

      Having purchased a hemp made shirt on eBay, I can only say it is far superior than any cotton made shirt. The hemp made textiles are a bit more expensive but well worth it in the long run.

      • King Of Jambalamba

        you can’t smoke it ya dope!

    • WhiteDawn

      THC is forbidden by the law, but our brain creating the same substance???

      http://www.intheknowzone.com/substance-abuse-topics/marijuana/marijuana-in-the-brain.html

      Hmmmmm….. :idea:

    • Jacko

      What you call hemp isn’t called Sativa but Indica.

      • Dustdevil

        Not true. Both Hemp and Marijuana are from the Cannabis Sativa L. plant. Then again, there are other Cannabis ‘cousins’, and just as you can gain hemp fiber from a hearty high-THC ‘Cannabis’, and you can smoke low-THC hemp leaves, you can derive hemp from Indica too, but the majority of hemp grown for world-class ropes, fibers, OSB panels, etc., comes from Cannabis Sativa L. The specific plant that is grown is cultivated from low-THC for hemp, but it is in fact, still Cannabis Sativa L.

        • Maxxy

          …I would think that there has been some hybridization research done on budgets of billions of dollars. We used to get vietnamese weed back in the day…I think it was from Indica species…as it was a much stronger intoxicant than our pot back home.

        • Jacko

          Both indica and sativa are in the Cannabis Sativa L family. But indica usually has a lower THC content then sativa. Indica is used for the fiber/oil etc (hemp). Sativa is mostly used recreational (marijuana). Most weed that is sold to smoke recreational is a crossing between sativa and indica while for the fiber/oil etc. it’s only indica. So what most call hemp is actually indica.

    • I AM

      ~ ”WHOEVER HAPPENS TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE PEARLY GATES, INTO PARADISE, WILL BE ALLOWED TO SMOKE MARIJUANA, BECAUSE IT IS A BURNT OFFERING, UNTO THE LORD THY GOD” ~

      EVERY THING GREEN ON EARTH, WILL BE TURNED INTO SOME OF THE FINEST ~ ”SKUNK WEED” ~ THAT ANYONE, & EVERYONE WOULD EVER WANT TO SMOKE .!!.

      THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY ~ I AM…

    • beefree

      the day the US is free…when the petro dollar crashes and the hemp dollar rises… so we can all be free….

      • Daniel Jackson

        Now you got an idea on how to back the dollar! I am into the idea of hempcrete for building with its durability and ability to withstand earthquakes as compared to concrete and its increased R Factor for building energy efficiency. And not to forget biofuels. And for smoking too! I find that marijuana has more health and medical benefits than it past claims of being harmful to users. All of the past demonization of marijuana was propaganda.

    • Bacchus

      Hemp For Victory. During WW2 the US Govt. prompted the growing of commercial hemp for the war effort. It was used for the making of soldiers webbing, parachute harnesses etc. The model “T” Ford was designed to run not on gasoline, but on hemp seed ethenoll. The original Levies Jeans were made from hemp canvas. You can make high tensile plastics from hemp seed oil. Prohibition was about cutting out the competition.

    • Bacchus

      Bio degradable plastic. A lo calorie butter substitute. Building materials like particle board. White paper made from wood pulp needs to be bleached and to re cycle it you must add at least 30% fresh wood pulp. White paper made from hemp needs no bleaching and is 100% recycle-able.

    • Man

      yes the netherlands is a hemp utopia where everything is hemp based because of their legalisation of canabis about 25 years ago….

      Oh wait it isn’t?

      that is because modern day products are more efficiently and cost-effective produced.

    • Peter Jennings

      Nice reporting although cannabis doesn’t really have any dangerous affects. US uniforms were made from the stuff and Russia was farming loads of it for centuries. It kept their economy going.

      Some teenagers do have problems with it but that’s because they are teenagers, they have a problem with everything at that age.

    • bigron4570

      But booze is legal and that is so much better BS

    MOST RECENT
    Load more ...

    SignUp

    Login

    Newsletter

    Email this story
    Email this story

    If you really want to ban this commenter, please write down the reason:

    If you really want to disable all recommended stories, click on OK button. After that, you will be redirect to your options page.