Legalizing Marijuana

The earliest knowledge we have of marijuana comes from the Chinese around 3750 B.C. (A Brief History of Marijuana Prohibition par 1). A philosopher and farmer by the name of Shen Nung showed the Chinese how to use the oil and seeds for food and how to make rope and clothing from hemp. When Shen Nung became a mighty emperor, he created a book of medical knowledge. For thousands of years later, resinous cannabis extracts were …

…a reputation as an awful intoxicant by the government and was seen as a plant that was smuggled by violent immigrants (Why Legalize? par 3). Commissioner Anslinger said “Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death” (History of the Non-Medical Use of Drugs in the United States). More laws were passed making the penalty harsher for those with the drug in their possession. Consideration for re-legalizing the drug was denied.