Marijuana - Better to Be Legal or Illegal?

The legalization of marijuana is an issue that has affected society in the United States by putting a cap on people's personal freedoms. Marijuana has always had its place in U.S. history; it first arrived in 1492 with Christopher Columbus (Booth, 2007). At this time it was called hemp, it wasn't referred to as marijuana until 1937 when a man named Harry Anslinger proposed a law to criminalize the production, usage, and marketing of "marihuana"(Whitbread, 2008). Until then, hemp was a major resource in fabric production (Booth, 2007). It is believed that it was used as early as 7000 B.C. to make fabrics woven from the root of hemp (Booth, 2007). The medicinal uses of hemp have been traced down about 6000 B.C. where it was used by the Chinese to help a variety of health problems such as toothaches and headaches (Hopkins, 2010). The smoking of hemp didn't become popular until about the 12th century (Booth, 2007). It was popular among Muslims who weren't allowed to drink yet and it eventually spread to surrounding European countries (Hopkins, 2004). By the time hemp reached the coasts of the New World, its uses were still expanding. Hemp could be used as medicine, food, or fabric so it's no surprise that it soon became a major trading item among the world. In 1619 a law was even passed in Jamestown, Virginia that made it required to grow hemp (Whitfield, 2008). However, farmers weren't the only ones growing hemp, George Washington had a hemp farm at Mount Vernon. Thomas Jefferson even grew hemp as a secondary crop in Monticello (Leff, 2010). It wasn't until 1840 that medicinal uses of marijuana were becoming widely popular (Booth, 2007). Many of the United States pharmacies had medicine containing marijuana that was used to treat things like headaches and menstrual pains. Other uses of hemp included Henry Ford's "Hempmobile" which was made with hemp plastic and ran on hemp ethanol (Whitfield, 2008). Around this time period there weren't any laws that limited the use of marijuana. That all changed in the early 1900's when a man named Harry Anslinger passed the Marihuana Tax Act in October of 1937.

Although Harry Anslinger was the first person to pass the first successful law on marijuana, there had been several attempts before him. California passed a law in 1913, but it was ignored by most of the population mainly because it dealt with "preparations of hemp, or loco weed."(History of Marijuana, 2007, pg1) Utah soon followed California with a anti-marijuana law that got passed in 1915(History of Marijuana, 2007, pg1). Pretty soon other states starting following and laws against marijuana were passed in Texas in 1919, Louisiana in 1924, and New York in 1927.(Ibid) None of those laws had as much impact on the society of the United States as the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 (History of Marijuana, 2007, pg1). A man named Harry J. Anslinger founded the Federal Bureau of Narcotics and became its first commissioner and 1930 (History of Marijuana, 2007, pg1). During his time as commissioner, Harry passed the Marihuana Tax Act. The bill didn't actually criminalize marijuana, but anybody who wanted to continue growing and selling it was still legal as long as you paid tax stamp for $1 (History of Marijuana, 2007, pg1). The bill had penalties of up to $2,000 or 5 years in prison if someone was caught violating the law(History of Marijuana, 2007, pg2). Eventually the possession and distribution of marijuana became a big risk to people in America. Pharmacies stopped carrying medicine with marijuana mixed in, manufacturers stopped using hemp in the making of clothes, rope, and other materials (History of Marijuana, 2007, pg2). The bill was signed by President Roosevelt on October 2, 1937 (History of Marijuana, 2007, pg3). The same day the bill was passed; the Federal Bureau of Investigation invaded a hotel in Lexington and arrested two people: Moses Baca and Samuel Caldwell (History of Marijuana, 2007, pg2). This would be the first time a person would be put on trial for failing to own a stamp to sell marijuana. Caldwell was found guilty and was sentenced to four years in Leavenworth Penitentiary and got fined $1000, while his customer, Moses Baca, was sentenced to 18 months for possession. In 1951 a man named Hale Boggs proposed a bill that would significantly increase the mandatory jail sentences (History of Marijuana, 2007, pg3). Anslinger was the head of the war on drugs and in 1956 he wanted even tougher laws on marijuana (Booth, 2007). The Narcotic Control Act of 1956 classified marijuana in the same class as heroin and had tougher penalties (Booth, 2007). Under the new act, conviction of possession of marijuana was punishable by two to ten years in prison even for offenses. A life sentence was eligible as a second conviction in Missouri. Even up to the 1960s Anslinger was trying to persuade people that smoking marijuana was bad