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Medical Marijuana: Then and Now
Kenneth Michael White | Opinion Editorials | 06/27/06

In 1937, the 75th Congress criminalized all parts of a plant called Cannabis sativa L. The proponents of The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, a.k.a., prohibition, represented the interests of both public and private factions. The opponents of prohibition represented house-call doctors and small farmers. The losers of this debate in 1937 were (shock) the house-call doctors and small farmers. The more things change in the 69-years-and-counting of prohibition, the more they seem to stay exactly the same, even though today does not have to be like it was back then.

Back then, prohibitionists hyped the threat posed by the abuse of cannabis. It was said that the mere use of cannabis could turn the most habitually calm person on the planet into a maniacal murderer instantly, without any warning. Back then, it was “legal” to punish people on the basis of misinformation.

Today, prohibitionists still hype the threat posed by the abuse of cannabis. It is still said that people who merely use cannabis are ipso facto abusers of cannabis (not even a doctor can “safely” recommend the use of cannabis under Federal law). Today, it appears “legal” to continue to punish people on the basis of misinformation.

Back then, prohibitionists did not explain why hemp, which cannot get anyone “high,” should be illegal. Back then, it was “legal” to formulate public policy that artificially denies the market a profitable and renewable commodity.

Today, prohibitionists do not explain why hemp, which cannot get anyone “high,” should be illegal. Today, it appears “legal” to enforce public policy that artificially denies the market a profitable and renewable commodity.

Back then, prohibitionists argued that some non-whites used cannabis; therefore, prohibitionists argued that cannabis should be illegal. Back then, patent institutional racism was “legal.”

Today, prohibitionists tend to ignore that the War on Drugs disproportionately subjects non-whites to the criminal justice system, even though more whites than non-whites actually use illicit drugs. Today, latent institutional racism appears “legal.”

In 1937, the 75th Congress was led by their prejudice instead of their intelligence. That failure has led to the needless suffering of millions of people and a loss of who-knows-how-many industrial advancements. This week an important bill will be voted on by the House of Representatives that could make things a little better for legitimate medical marijuana patients. Let’s hope that in 2006, the 109th Congress will finally follow common sense and amend Federal drug policy in one small, meaningful and incremental degree by recognizing the right of the individual States to enact medical marijuana programs.

Call your representative now and instruct him or her to support the Hinchey-Rohrabacher medical marijuana amendment. “Today” is a good time to fix the problems that still remain from “back then.”

Kenneth Michael White is an attorney and the author of “The Beginning of Today: The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937” and “Buck” (both by PublishAmerica 2004).

Capitol Switchboard: Dial 202-224-3121 and ask to speak to your representative.

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Buzzby

Due to security procedures it often takes 10-14 days for a snail-mail letter to reach your representative. The Hinchey-Rohrabacher medical marijuana amendment could be up for a vote as early as today!

If you can't call your representative by phone, email is the next fastest way of reaching him/her. You can do that readily from Congress's own Write Your Representative web page.

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Hansje

IMHO the prohibition of cannabis had and still has a lot to do with having laws that keep minorities and other undesirables down. I think the KKK had a lot to do with it back then, as the secret order had members throughout all levels of society and in the power structure. A&E just showed a TV special on the clan, which I thought was very informative. I was born in 1960, and have never known overt institutionalized racism to that severe degree.

They couldn't go back to slavery, so they simply made laws to incarcerate minorities, where they were, and still are, used as prison labor. It's the next closest thing to slavery, and it keeps the rest of the population in constant fear of getting uppity, especiallly the population groups they are targeting.

That explains in part why minorities make up most of the prison population in the U.S.

I find the whole thing disgusting.

Is there any evidence that Anslinger and the rest of the prohibitionistswho made marijuana illegal were in the KKK? How about for the current and more recent politicians and their so-called research groups, especially these drug warriors?

Remove their credibility and make them less popular with the public and put a few more nails in the coffin of cannabis prohibition!