Marijuana and the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937
Marijuana and the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937
Introduction
Marijuana is one of the most controversial drugs in the world. It’s been illegal for over 80 years, and people have fought against its legal status for decades. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was designed to help regulate marijuana sales by taxing them and allowing states to sell them within their borders. Now that we’re living in an era where marijuana is legal in some states but not others, it’s important to understand how this law came into being so you can better understand what’s going on today with regards to legalization—and how things could change tomorrow!
Marijuana Tax Act
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was passed by the United States Congress in response to Harry Anslinger’s campaign against marijuana. The act was meant to regulate the production and sale of marijuana, which at that time was not legal in any state. The Marijuana Tax Act prohibited its use or possession, but did not criminalize its possession for personal use.
The act remained in effect until 1970 when it was repealed by Congress with the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
What is the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937?
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was signed into law by Franklin D. Roosevelt. The act was designed to help regulate marijuana sales and taxes, but it also made it illegal to possess or transport marijuana in any form.
The act made it illegal for anyone except medical professionals (and then only if they had a prescription) to possess or sell marijuana for medicinal purposes; however, it did not make cultivation illegal–only distribution would be restricted under this law.
How Does the Marijuana Tax Act Work?
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was a U.S. federal law that imposed a tax on marijuana sales. The act set a tax rate at $1 per ounce, which is equivalent to about $14 per gram today. It also required anyone who sold marijuana and had any income from it to register with the IRS and pay taxes on their sales in the same manner as other businesses do (with exceptions).
You might wonder why there was such an unjustified level of regulation around cannabis–after all, it’s been legal for some time now here in California! Well…it wasn’t always so clear cut: until 1937, cannabis was illegal everywhere except for medical purposes; even then it wasn’t entirely safe because doctors were allowed to prescribe only small amounts at once (enough for one dose). But when Congress decided to make selling marijuana illegal nationwide (and thus taxed), many people got scared off from growing their own weed because they didn’t want the hassle of dealing with police raids or jail time should they get caught doing so
Why Was Marijuana Banned in the First Place?
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was not intended to be a permanent ban on marijuana. It’s a tax that was set up in order to raise money for the federal government and help fund World War II. However, many people believe that this law was passed because of racism and anti-cannabis sentiment from white lawmakers who feared an influx of Mexican immigrants taking over their jobs or influencing the vote if they were allowed to use pot recreationally or medicinally (because at this time it wasn’t legal).
Who Was Interested in Banning It?
It’s important to know who was opposed to marijuana use. The first group is the people who were against its use for recreational purposes. This includes anti-drug organizations like the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), which campaigned against marijuana without scientific evidence that it was harmful. They also included religious groups, such as The American Baptist Churches USA and The Catholic Church in America (the latter would later become United States Conference of Catholic Bishops).
The second group is those who were opposed on medical grounds: doctors worried about addiction or overdose; other professionals such as pharmacists and nurses; law enforcement officials working in drug control programs at federal, state and local levels; parents concerned about children being exposed too early or often enough before they could develop strong habits themselves (or learn self-control).
How Did They Find Out About How to Make and Use It?
The Mexican Revolution of 1910 is a good example of how the United States’ interest in marijuana started. The Mexican Revolution was funded by marijuana taxes, and when it ended in 1920 with the fall of Porfirio Díaz, who had been president for 32 years, many people wanted to get back their money.
The United States worried that if they didn’t stop the flow of marijuana into their country, there would be more trouble. They needed new ways to stop this from happening again so they could keep control over what happened in Mexico and other places around the world where people were using cannabis plants or seeds (called “marihuana” at this time).
Why Wasn’t It Banned Earlier and Has it Been Legal Since 1937?
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was not enforced until the 1960s. It wasn’t until the 1960s that enforcement began and it continued to be enforced through the 1970s. In addition to being enforced by law enforcement, there were also many other factors that kept marijuana illegal:
The act was not considered a priority by any level of government or society at large.
There wasn’t much money available to support research into medicinal uses for cannabis, so there was no way for doctors or scientists to figure out how best to use this plant medicinally. This led them (and us!) down a long path toward figuring out what compounds worked best when treating various ailments–but it took time!
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was designed to help regulate marijuana sales.
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was designed to help regulate marijuana sales.
The act was designed to help regulate the sale of marijuana.
The act was designed to help regulate the sale of cannabis.
The act was designed to help regulate the sale of hemp.
Conclusion
The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 was designed to regulate the sale and use of marijuana. The law made it illegal to sell or distribute marijuana, but also required every state in the U.S. to create their own laws on how illegal drugs like this should be handled by local authorities. This means that states like Washington and Colorado were able to create their own regulations around selling or buying marijuana products with minimal interference from federal officials who were worried about federal prosecution for violating any other laws besides those related specifically with cannabis possession.