Why was cannabis ever illegal?

This is my own personal take on why and how Cannabis was put in such a negative spotlight.

It was never bad for the people or the economy, it was bad for the system.

The criminalization of cannabis has a long and complex history that is tied to various industries, including the oil, pharmaceutical, and medicinal industries. In the early 20th century, there was a growing movement to criminalize cannabis, fueled by racism and xenophobia towards Mexican and African American populations who were perceived as the primary users of the drug.

However, there were also economic factors at play. The oil industry, which was just beginning to boom, saw hemp as a direct threat to their profits. Hemp, which is a variety of the cannabis plant, was used for a variety of industrial purposes, including paper, textiles, and fuel. The oil industry, which was developing synthetic alternatives to these products, saw hemp as a major competitor and lobbied for its criminalization.

The pharmaceutical and medicinal industries also played a role in the criminalization of cannabis. Cannabis had been used for centuries as a natural remedy for various ailments, including pain relief and anxiety. However, with the rise of synthetic drugs in the early 20th century, the pharmaceutical industry saw cannabis as a direct threat to their profits and worked to discredit its medicinal properties.

Despite these economic factors, cannabis was made illegal in the United States with the passage of the Marihuana Tax Act in 1937. The criminalization of cannabis had a significant impact on the hemp industry, which saw a sharp decline in production. It also had a detrimental effect on those who relied on cannabis for medicinal purposes, as they were now forced to turn to synthetic drugs.

Today, attitudes towards cannabis are changing, and there is a growing recognition of its potential medical and therapeutic uses. As more and more places around the globe legalize cannabis for medicinal and recreational use, it is becoming clear that the criminalization of cannabis was driven by economic interests rather than concerns for public health and safety.