In their book From Criminalization to Decriminalization of Marijuana, Nikolai Angelov and Michael P. McCarthy explain how the cannabis lobby in Congress helps advocate for legalization, medical research, and financial regulation. . But did you know that cannabis lobbying is not a new phenomenon?
In the late 19th century, research institutes and businesses faced the impending threat of Prohibition. The result, as we know, was widespread criminalization, but who were the cannabis lobby's early champions?
Economic and medical conditions in the early 1900s
According to research by Angelov and McCarthy, in the early 1900s, cannabis was typically sold in pharmacies in one-ounce packages dried for smoking.
By the 1910s, the average marijuana cigarette was available for two for $1. As a medicine, it was used to treat conditions such as asthma, gonorrhea, and pain associated with childbirth.
American doctors and pharmacists prescribed marijuana and touted its medicinal properties as analgesic.
Political opposition to the criminalization of cannabis was based on the economic interests of medical and pharmaceutical communities.
For example, progressive reformers in the Northeast advocated classifying marijuana as a narcotic and enforcing “prescription for sale” requirements.
This meant that marijuana continued to be available at local dispensaries, albeit under stricter regulations. The goal was to balance public health concerns with economic interests.
racist, xenophobic, progressive
By the early 20th century, intense debates were taking place between two important ideological groups, nativists and progressives, that shaped drug policy. Nativists undermine traditional American values by viewing immigrants, especially nonwhites, as the source of foreign vices such as recreational drug use, and by targeting them as morally inferior and harmful to society. The aim was to maintain perspective.
Progressives, by contrast, sought to address the problems caused by industrialization and urbanization and advocated social reforms to protect vulnerable populations from the temptations of vice and addiction, which led to increased regulation.
Racism played an important role in promoting marijuana prohibition. The relationship between drug use and racial minorities has become a convenient scapegoat for social ills and has fueled calls for stricter laws. Immigrants who used marijuana for non-medical issues were portrayed as a threat to American society. Similar attitudes were prevalent among the medical aristocracy in Mexico and the United States. These shared beliefs helped align the two countries' prohibitionist views, creating a united front against marijuana.
Early champion of the cannabis lobby
Early advocates of the cannabis lobby included medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies who recognized the economic potential of maintaining access to cannabis.
Their efforts were rooted in the dual goals of preserving medical autonomy and securing economic benefits from the sale of cannabis-based products. This early lobbying effort laid the foundation for the complex legal battles and regulatory framework that followed.
Understanding the historical context of the cannabis lobby provides valuable insight into the current legislative landscape. Early 20th century efforts to balance public health and economic interests continue to be reflected in today's debates over the legalization and regulation of cannabis.
The study by Angelov and McCarthy highlights the lasting impact of these early lobbying efforts and the ongoing struggle to define cannabis' role in society.
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Early Prohibition Milestones
1875: San Francisco passes the first U.S. drug control law targeting Chinese opium dens in response to growing anti-Chinese sentiment and the perceived moral threat they posed. 1914: The Harrison Drug Tax Act is enacted to regulate and tax the production, import, and distribution of opiate and coca products. This law laid the foundation for future drug control policy in the United States by criminalizing non-medical use of these substances. 1929: Congress passes the Drug Farm Act, the first federal law to classify marijuana on par with other illegal drugs, but its use was not criminalized. 1934: Uniform State Narcotics Laws were established by a committee that included the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN). This law encouraged states to uniformly regulate and criminalize drug use across the country. 1937: The Marijuana Tax Act is passed, imposing strict regulations and taxes on the sale of cannabis. The law required sellers to obtain tax stamps, which were nearly impossible to obtain, effectively making marijuana illegal. It also prohibited the cultivation of cannabis by requiring growers to purchase tax stamps, which were never issued. Read now: After $1 trillion and 50 years, is the DEA's drug war a failure?
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