Marijuana

Marijuana


Throughout history marijuana has been used to serve various purposes in many

different cultures.  The purposes have changed over time to fit in with the

current lifestyles. This pattern is also true in American history. The use of

marijuana has adapted to the social climate of the time.


Marijuana, whose scientific name is cannibis sativa, was mentioned in historical

manuscripts as early as 2700 B. C. in China. (Grolier Electronic Encyclopedia,

1995).  The cultivation of the marijuana plant began as far back as the

Jamestown settlers, around 1611, who used hemp produced from the marijuana

plant's fibers to make rope and canvas.  It was also used in making clothing

because of it's durability.  These uses fit in with the social climate of the

time, because the main focus was on survival rather than for psychoactive

purposes.


During the prohibition, marijuana was widely used because of the scarcity of

alcohol.  Prohibition was repealed after just thirteen years while the

prohibition against marijuana lasted for more than seventy five years. This

double standard may have resulted from the wishes of those in power. Alcohol

prohibition struck directly at tens of millions of Americans of all ages,

including many of societies most powerful members.  Marijuana prohibition

threatened far fewer Americans, and they had relatively little influence in the

districts of power.  Only the prohibition of marijuana, which some sixty million

Americans have violated since 1965 has come close to approximating the

prohibition experience, but marijuana smokers consist mostly of young and

relatively powerless Americans (American Heritage, pg 47). Alcohol prohibition

was repealed and marijuana prohibition was retained, not because scientists had

proved that alcohol was the less dangerous of the various psychoactive drugs,

but because of the prejudices and preferences of most Americans (American

Heritage, pg 47).


In 1937 the government issued the Marijuana Tax Act, which levied a dollar an

ounce tax on marijuana, coupled with fines of $2,000 for drug posession and jail

sentences for evasion of the tax.  For this reason marijuana use in the United

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