The Marijuana Of The United States Government - 1280 Words

The history of marijuana in the United States government date back to the origins of the United States government itself. During the 16th century, the mass production of hemp was encouraged by the British government for its fibrous content, which was used for making fabric, ropes, cords, and other items (â€Å"Marijuana Timeline† 2014). By 1619, the Virginia assembly passed legislation requiring each household in the colony to cultivate hemp, praising its variety of beneficial uses. Even after the American Revolution, hemp continued to be a large part of the American economy. By mid-19th century, hemp was the third-largest crop in the United States, only exceeded by cotton and tobacco. As technology was developed, however, the need for†¦show more content†¦The results were so astounding, British physician to Queen Victoria, Sir John Russell Reynolds commented, â€Å"When pure and administered carefully, it is one of the most valuable medicines we possess (Lee 20 12).† With the rise of medicinal uses of marijuana and its frequent ingestion, recreational use of marijuana was surely to follow. In Mexico, the recreational use of the plant reached high popularity by the early to mid-19th century as cheap and preferable alternative to alcohol. Mexican peasants often turned to the plant for relaxation and inebriation after days spent enduring hard labor conditions. After the Mexican Revolution in 1910, the United States saw a large influx of Mexican immigrants, who brought with them their recreational use of marijuana (Lee 2012). In 1920, the United States government initiated the prohibition of alcohol, allowing the use of narcotics. By 1931, scientists widely criticized prohibition, stating that the criminalization of alcohol had led to the increase in the use of narcotics (Lewin 1931). Scientists blamed rising crime rates across cities in the United States on this increase in narcotics use. Anecdotal stories were published across n ewspapers throughout the country, implicating marijuana in violent and heinous crimes. By 1936, the French director, Louis Gasnier produced the propaganda film â€Å"Reefer Madness†, further deepening Americans’ fears of the drug. In