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Cannabis and the United States have had a long history fraught with strife and drama. On the surface, the country seems to tolerate celebrities like Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg openly partaking in their herb of choice, and there are a plethora of songs and movies that revolve around cannabis use. But for folks on the street, there has been a constant undercurrent of prohibition and prosecution since cannabis was listed as a schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Substances Act in 1970. As the US looks to progressively decriminalize and legalize cannabis use, what does it mean for aficionados of this controversial plant?
Don’t Step On The Grass, Sam
The relationship between the United States and cannabis started in 1492 when Christopher Columbus brought cannabis sativa to the New World in the form of 80 tonnes of hemp rigging and sails. The plant adapted easily to the new land and colonized it prolifically, with early colonials including Thomas Jefferson and George Washington owning stretches of hemp plantations. The farming of hemp for rope, thread, and canvas was one of the major industries of the time, with some states even passing legislation mandating all farmers to grow hemp.
In 1850, cannabis was added to the US Pharmacopeia as a pain reliever, appetite stimulant, and treatment for opioid withdrawal. Cannabis became a common and accepted drug option, with Vanity Fair advertising ‘hasheesh candy’ as a pleasurable and harmless medicine for nerves and melancholy. Cannabis derivatives were also a common ingredient in proprietary concoctions such as cough syrups that were available over-the-counter. While the lines were somewhat blurred between the recreational and medicinal use of cannabis in the US, most Americans did not consider the smoking of cannabis leaf until the early 20th century.
Over in Latin America, cannabis was used recreationally in cigarettes or pipes and the Mexicans brought their culture with them when they moved to the US. Despite the fact that cannabis had been extensively used for three decades as a medicine, the drug became increasingly associated with the ‘degeneration’ of Mexican immigrants. As the Great Depression threatened jobs and xenophobia exploded across the US, cannabis consumption was weaponized by politicians. The name cannabis became replaced wholesale by marijuana (misspelled on purpose to make it more ‘Mexican’) and the Marijuana Tax Act was passed in 1937 which began a legislative war that would see cannabis banned in the country for a good 60 years.
Legalize It, and I Will Advertise It
The illegal status of cannabis might have affected the public’s consumption of the drug, but it continued to be used widely, particularly in fringe and minority communities. Comedy duo Cheech & Chong, who were famously popular in the 70s and 80s, never hid their penchant for the product and even proceeded to win a Grammy Award. From the college students who rebelled against the Vietnam War and the values of the previous generation to the colored communities who used cannabis for relaxation and spiritual elevation, the cannabis underground continued to flourish.
Decades of arrests and incarcerations—which disproportionately targeted colored and marginalized people—led to growing questions about the unnecessarily harsh and punitive penalties for cannabis use. Support for legal cannabis use started to grow and California voters passed Proposition 215, the world’s first medical marijuana law, in 1996. Since then, many other states in the US have decriminalized and legalized cannabis use. Today, cannabis use is legal either in medical or recreational form in 70 percent of the country. As the MORE (Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement) Act of 2021 is once again introduced in the federal government, there is hope for cannabis law reform on a national level.
Legalization, combined with a budding industry of cannabis derivatives THC and CBD, has allowed for the establishment of a brand new industry centered around cannabis. Nationwide sales of cannabis increased by 67 percent in 2020 and the domestic industry alone is estimated to be worth $61 billion. Tommy Chong (of Cheech & Chong fame) has his own line of CBD gummies and cartridges; Willie Nelson formed an eco-farming cooperative that produces co-distillates and cannabis lifestyle clothing; Snoop Dogg started a cannabis-focused venture capital firm; even Martha Stewart sells CBD chews for dogs.
Unfortunately, it is not all that easy for industry novices to get their foot in the door of this fresh and fruity business. Certain legislative requirements, such as the proposals required for the application of the New Jersey cannabis manufacturing license 2021, for example, can be extremely complicated and involved. To assist with the growth of the industry, some cannabis pioneers have started focused consulting agencies to help aspiring cultivators craft their niche in the market. There are also mentorship programs that support BIPOC cannabis entrepreneurs and help showcase their products in view of achieving a more equitable industry.
Whether you use CBD oil for mental health assistance or consume cannabis cookies for pain relief, a growing market brings a larger variety of better quality products. Cannabis is a relatively innocuous plant with a broad range of benefits that has played both hero and villain through the eyes of our changing society. As we work to rectify the regrettable social history of marijuana, we must not forget that people of color and the disenfranchised were the ones who kept the cannabis fire burning throughout the difficult years. Our country is ready for a more diverse and equitable society and the flourishing cannabis industry is a fantastic model candidate.