Recently our friends at Veriheal, took a fascinating (and depressing) look back at the 90-year old “War on Drugs.” It’s written by Veriheal reporter Sheldon Sommer, a Southern Californian philosopher with a lifelong interest in the biological world.
This article makes it clear it’s time we face the fact that the “War on Drugs” is really a war against people of color – Mexicans, blacks and indigenous people. If this topic is important to you, Sommer’s article is a must read. Check it out HERE. The propaganda images alone (like the one you see below) make it worth the click.
From the story: Propaganda surrounding cannabis use has a complex past embedded in America’s political and sociocultural history. Ranging from the appalling to the comically absurd, anti-cannabis propaganda has played an influential role iin shaping legislation, public perception, and societal attitudes regarding the drug and its users for over a century. From the early 20th century to the present day, various forms of propaganda have served to spread misinformation about cannabis use, resulting in a complicated narrative infused with broader issues of economic power, racial prejudice, and political motivations. Here, we explore some prominent examples of anti-cannabis messaging and reveal the insidious ways that these messages have shaped America’s controversial relationship with the cannabis plant and the cannabis community. Sheldon Sommer begins her story with the surge of Mexican immigrants fleeing their revolution in 1910.
Perhaps the most well-known piece of anti-cannabis propaganda, “Reefer Madness” is a film series depicting innocent high school students who are lured into smoking cannabis. The events that follow escalate to increasingly ludicrous situations and events for the unsuspecting teens as they descend into “madness.” According to the film, smoking just one joint will lead individuals to a world of insanity and criminality.
More about the author, Sheldon Sommer, can be found HERE.