Why is marijuana illegal when some the countries greatest leaders smoked pot?

I know for a fact that George Washington has smoked pot, even native americans. It is an unknown fact that George Washington had a pot plant in his backyard. My resource is Encyclopedia Britannica.

The passage of all the controlled substance laws before Regan's "War on Drugs" actually have their roots in racism and corporate greed, and were fueled by yellow journalism.

Marijuana, in particular, is illegal because, starting in the early 1900s, bad feelings grew between illegal and legal Mexican immigrants and the white settlers in the southwest. Partly because of the Mexican civil war spilling over into conflicts in the southwest, and also over the competition for agricultural jobs. The Great Depression finally brought this competition to a head. The fact that Mexicans brought marijuana from Mexico (and grew it at a huge profit) was seized upon as leverage against them. One Texas state senator actually said on the senate floor, "All Mexicans are crazy, and this stuff [marijuana] is what makes them crazy."

Around the same time (early 30's to mid 40's), in the east, marijuana made it's way onto the the jazz scene, and stories of violent, "marijuana-crazed [blacks] and Mexicans" attacking white women and enticing white children to smoke marijuana, were spread by otherwise reputable newspapers. Obviously, no evidence of this has ever been found, not even an accusation.

Big businesses like DuPont and Hearst lobbied for the passage of these laws in their states for their own financial gain. By eliminating the competition from hemp, they drove up the demand (and the price) for their wood-based paper processing.

During the hearings on the Marijuana Tax Act (1937), Harry J. Anslinger, commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, testified to all sorts of outrageous lies, including, 鈥淪moke a joint, and you鈥檙e likely to kill your brother," and calling marijuana the 鈥渄eadliest drug ever known." Anslinger testified that fifty percent of all violent crimes in the US were committed by blacks, Mexicans, etc., and could be traced directly to marijuana, when, in fact, 65 to 75% of all violent crimes committed in the US were (and still are) alcohol-related.

An actual medical doctor, Dr. James Woodward, testified on behalf of the American Medical Association, that "there is no evidence that marijuana is a dangerous drug," and calling the whole fabric of federal testimony "tabloid sensationalism." However, when the bill came up on the floor of Congress, one pertinent question was asked: 鈥淒id anyone consult with the AMA and get their opinion?" Rep. Carl Vinson replied, 鈥淵es, we have, a Dr. Wharton (a mispronunciation of Woodward) and the AMA are in complete agreement.鈥?And with this bold-faced lie, the act was passed.

Marijuana is a major victim of two things. Propaganda and the status quo.


The powers that be manipulated the public with false and slanderous information and succeeded in making it a class 1 drug--right along side cocaine and heroin....*sigh* Anyone who's smoked weed knows damn well it shouldn't be next to those substances. It's naturally occurring, non-habit forming(physical), and was not created in a distillery or lab. Can we say the same for another, legal but still mind-altering substance that has a deadly effect on America(alcohol)?

And secondly, it's been illegal so long, citizens and law makers cannot comprehend this country as Marijuana friendly. Though many progressive states have succesfully decriminalized it, a federal ban remains in place. This all of course means we are loosing billions in revenues and jobs from regulated cannabis industry.


Right now in America, Marijuana is the # 1 cash crop. Can you imagine how much money could be made by each state if this product was regulated like alcohol? How many jobs would be made?


But prisons need inmates, governments need black markets, and it's been illegal too long for any of that to change....at least not anytime soon.

Hemp was grown commercially for its rope and fiber. It was a cash crop then, and definitely not illegal. I couldn't say if George Washington smoked it, but if he did, it wasn't illegal.

Why is it illegal now? it was made illegal in the early part of the 20th century. I might speculate that it was because of its psycoactive effects, but I wasn't around then, so I don't know.

Washington didn't have A pot plant, he had fields of hemp. Hemp for rope and such was more profitable and grew better on his estate then tobacco. Doesn't mean he smoked it though, he might've not even known it was possible to smoke. But of the numerous reasons to legalize weed, past people who have smoked it doesn't mean anything, for ever awesome person that smokes pot there's some a**hole out there smoking it too. Same for alcohol, cigarettes or anything.

I know what you mean. It wasn't just washington. Not a single person that signed the constitution didn't go anywhere without a bag of coke in his pocket. We look up to these men do we not? I personally think it is illegal because of the foreign drug trade between mexico and south america. My bf is in jail right now because he smoked an HERB! this is such bs, and im going to change it. people need to realize the TRue affects of marijuana! almost all the information given on the effects are TOTALLY WRONG! Don't believ everything you are told or read. Look it up for yourself and go to many sites! change the laws, stop bending over and taking it from the gov't.

I don't know, i also knew about that of George Washington,i think marijuana is less dangerous than other drugs and even cigarettes, the thing is i prefer something coming from a plant that another pills coming from a laboratory

how do you know that for a fact? were you there when washington was smoking pot?


anyway, if you want to change the laws, chose your vote wisely, or else become part of congress...

or else move to a different country.

"...even native americans."

Wrong, sorry, marijuana is not originally native to here.

SING IT!!!!!

"Money, money money ..... MOOOONEEEEY"

Sounds like you are looking for a reason that you are stupid. Well you have found it.