Why is Weed Illegal

Weed, also known as marijuana had always been legal since the hemp plant had been discovered. The hemp plant, Cannabis sativa, is not only used to produce marijuana, but also used for a number of other products. The plant is used for incense, cloth, rope, woven fabric, etc. You will be surprised to know that the first Marijuana Law was enacted at Jamestown Colony, Virginia in 1619. Under this law, farmers had been ordered to grow Indian hemp seed compulsorily and failing to do so one could be jailed. It was not because hemp was used to produce marijuana, but for essential war requirements like rope! The plant was not known for its recreational drug until early 1900's. Then why is weed illegal in America today? Let us go back in history to find the reasons.

History of Weed in the US

When weed legalization was at its peak, the plant was used for a number of purposes. Even medical practitioners used weed to provide patients pain relief. There were many researches conducted on weed during the 19th century that prompted the British and the U.S. to undertake a stand on weed legalization.

During the International Opium Convention in 1928, America too sent its delegates to attend the meeting. Here, they were introduced to several testimonies that proved that marijuana or weed made people go insane, commit murder and even die due to over dose. This made United States stop all export of the Indian hemp to any country that made cannabis illegal. This agreement lead to a fall of the production of weed in US.

During the same period the revolution in Mexico in 1910, there was an increase in the influx of Mexican-Americans. It was seen that many Mexicans smoked marijuana and brought along the plant to America. Thus, California passed the first state marijuana law that banned 'preparation of hemp, or loco weed'. Soon, other states followed suit and passed marijuana prohibition law. These states include the states of Wyoming (1915), Texas (1919), Iowa (1923), Nevada (1923), Oregon (1923), Washington (1923), Arkansas (1923), and Nebraska (1927).

With many other factors playing a role, the Roosevelt administration signed the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937. Under this law, any person who sold the drug had to pay a tax. If the tax was not paid, he had to pay a hefty fine and even serve prison. But, the U.S. government did not want the tax money and simply made weed illegal in America.

Reasons Behind Weed being Illegal in US

The first reason that lead to illegalization of weed in US was its classification as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substance Act of 1970. This was because it was perceived that once a person uses marijuana regularly, he turns into a 'pothead', that is addicted to the drug. The second reason for making weed illegal in America was that there were no accepted medical uses of marijuana. The benefits of medical use of weed, as claimed by people for weed legalization, has not been accepted on national level.

Weed has been linked with narcotics like heroin and morphine and therefore thought as a 'gateway drug'. Many hippies and other social outcast have been known to use marijuana. This has led to making marijuana illegal as these people are thought to have a criminal streak. Marijuana has been associated with increasing insane behavior and thus made illegal. Also, people who advocated weed legalization, did not present a stronger case and this lead making weed illegal.

Weed Facts

• The first woven fabric produced around 7000 - 8000 BC was believed to be woven from dried hemp weed.
• The Chinese used hemp seeds as food around 6000 BC. They even used it as a medicine to treat many health problems.
• The Scythians in 1500 BC cultivated weed for weaving cloth and left cannabis seeds as offerings to the royal tombs.
• In the Hindu sacred text Atharva- Veda, cannabis has been named as one of the five sacred plants of India. It is used as an offering to Lord Shiva.
• Around 500 - 500 BC, the euphoric properties of hemp plant was mentioned even in the Jewish Talmud.
• Cannabis sativa was brought to America by Christopher Columbus in 1492.
• President George Washington was known to grow hemp as his primary crop in 1797 at Mount Vernon. Hemp was grown as a secondary crop by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello.
• Britain banned the recreational use of marijuana in 1928.
• The short-term effects of marijuana include memory and learning problems, distorted perception of sound, touch and time, loss of motor coordination, increased heart rate, anxiety, dry mouth and throat.

Thus, due to some of these myths and facts about marijuana and placing of the drug in the Schedule I drugs, lead to outlaw of weed in the US.