You cannot discuss marijuana prohibition within the United States without mentioning Harry Anslinger. Harry Anslinger was a former railroad cop and marijuana prohibitionist who many credit as being responsible for the United States’ ban on marijuana. Harry was named America’s first drug czar in 1930, when he attempted to get the Bureau of Narcotics to fit in their budget, that was hampered by the Great Depression, propaganda that would work towards transforming marijuana’s imagine in the American public from a low grade nuisance into an evil “as hellish as heroin,” in his own words. Anslinger preyed on racial prejudices to hammer home in his point of demonizing the plant. He coined phrases such as, “reefer makes …show more content…
The earliest written reports of marijuana use come from Chinese writings in the 27th century BC. In states where medical marijuana is currently available, it is almost exclusively sold in drug emporiums in a raw state meant to be smoked. Patients prescribed medical marijuana are typically issued a card which acts as a license for their prescription. Laws differ from state to state in regards to how these patients can obtain marijuana. Some states allow a certain number of plants to be cultivated by an individual, while others require patients to receive marijuana from a state licensed dispensary. A majority of medical marijuana users claim that they suffer from chronic pain or anxiety and smoke the raw plant for their treatment. Unfortunately, marijuana suffers from a lack of credible research on its effectiveness in medical treatment. The scheduling of marijuana by the Drug Enforcement Agency as a schedule I substance, has eliminated valuable research that could be conducted on the drug. Rescheduling marijuana to a less dangerous classification would lead to more scientific findings, and possibly more benefits or side effects of the drug. As of now, marijuana has insufficient research and the schedule I classification fuels the controversy surrounding the drug and its