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hemp plant
the hemp plant was encouraged by the government to be used in the 17th century. During the colonial period -
Mexican revolution
after the Mexican revolution, Mexican immigrants flooded into the united states and brought with them the recreational use of marijuana which gave it a bad look because Americans were saying horrible things about them because of it -
outlawed
because of the fear of marijuana in 20 years, 29 states outlawed the use of marijuana -
marijuana tax act
in 1937 congress passed the marijuana tax act and pretty much criminalizing marijuana across the country -
ww2
during ww2 the department of agriculture turned to hemp plants the help build marine cordage, parachutes and other military gear. Which launched the "hemp for victory" program which created 375,000 acres of hemp plants. -
a different look on it
in the 1960s a cultural climate shift lead to more lenient attitudes towards marijuana. Again, reports commissioned by Presidents Kennedy and Johnson found that marijuana use did not induce violence or lead to use of heavier drugs. -
president nixon
bipartisan Shafer Commission, appointed by President Nixon at the direction of Congress, considered laws regarding marijuana and determined that personal use of marijuana should be decriminalized. Nixon rejected the recommendation, but over the course of the 1970s, eleven states decriminalized marijuana and most others reduced their penalties. -
war on drugs
Mandatory sentences were re-enacted by President Reagan. The "three strikes you're out" policy, required life sentences for repeat drug offenders. The War on Drugs continued under President George Bush in 1989. -
proposition 215
In 1996 California passed Proposition 215 allowing for the sale and medical use of marijuana for patients with AIDS, cancer, and other serious painful diseases. Thus the tension between federal laws criminalizing marijuana and state laws permitting marijuana in certain circumstances began which continues today.