Happy 420: Reminder our government used racist propaganda to fuel our country’s fear of cannabis, in order to criminalize it's users

Cannabis has been illegal in America at the federal level since 1937, but prior to that this plant had been used in herbal medicine for centuries.

Weed, pot, cannabis, marijuanas, the Devil’s lettuce:

This plant has been the topic of controversy and has gone by many names over the years.

Cannabis has been illegal in America at the federal level since 1937, but prior to that this plant had been used in herbal medicine for centuries.

During The Great Depression (1929 - 1941), migrant workers from Mexico suddenly found themselves unwelcome) in the United States.

Since many of the migrant laborers smoked marihuana, it was thought that banning marijuana would encourage them to go back home.

Our government used racist propaganda to fuel our country’s fear of the plant and those who used it, emphasizing the Spanish word “marihuana” instead of cannabis, creating strong associations between the plant and Mexican immigrants who helped popularize it.

It is estimated that as many as 20 million American citizens have been arrested and convicted of marijuana related offenses in the “war on drugs” over the years, and police have historically used these laws to disproportionately harass black and brown communities (and despite the fact that white people also partake just as frequently, they are less likely to be arrested).

Today cannabis is in an interesting place… in many states it has been made legal as a medicine, and others recreationally, but the federal grey area leaves many people with criminal records for possessing a plant that grows naturally on this earth.

People are hurting because of these laws.

We have families broken up by these laws…. people in prison, and medical refugees, unable to stay in their home states due to access problems.

I used to think that I wouldn’t see the changes to these systems in my life time, but it seems as if we may actually be getting closer to a resolution before my time on earth ends. As someone who has seizures, and great respect for this plant… I hope so.

#cannabis #thoughts #weed #plants #justice #racism #life #epilepsy #seizures

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