The Twilight of the War on Marijuana?
The Benefits of Cannabis for a Post-Prohibition Age
The history of the War on Drugs is a tragic saga rife with destroyed lives, forsaken prospects, and tyrannical government-run amok. Perhaps the most absurd aspect of this ill-fated farce of a crusade is its needless and brutal campaign against cannabis, known colloquially as marijuana. As in the case of other narcotics, the government-led attack on this high-inducing weed was a century-long waste of money and manpower. It failed in curbing the manufacture, sale, possession, and use of the drug, while successfully generating a slew of tragic consequences.
As in the case with most illicit substances, cannabis prohibition offers unscrupulous government officials a license to discredit, disrupt, and lock up political opponents. Such practices resulted in both mass incarceration and increased racial inequality in the United States. Drug law enforcement is also costly. Cannabis-related law enforcement activities drain roughly 7 billion dollars annually from the National Treasury alone.[1] However, cannabis restriction has historically been uniquely destructive, as it bore the added cost of an array of lost economic opportunities and medical advancements. Along with the lack of externalities commonly associated with other narcotics – such as addictiveness and potential for overdose – cannabis provides a range of practical benefits. Hemp, a low-THC variant of cannabis, has a variety of industrial uses. Marijuana itself is believed to have several medical uses, from treating conditions from anxiety to Parkinson’s disease. Based on these facts, the advantages of cannabis cultivation outweigh the oft-embellished drawbacks. If it were up to honest and rational people, cannabis would almost definitely be an important agricultural and industrial mainstay in today’s economy.
Unfortunately, however, there is enough unreasonableness and duplicity within both the public and private institutions of authority to go around. Rather than capitalizing on cannabis’s numerous benefits to humanity, people in power exploited the public’s negative perceptions of the unjustly reviled weed for their ends. The stigma that came along with marijuana played a crucial role in garnering public support for policies implemented to silence, disrupt, and incarcerate political opponents. Furthermore, cannabis restriction protected industries such as wood paper industries and pharmaceutical companies, which feared that hemp-based paper and marijuana-derived medications would disrupt their predominance in the market. Therefore, the story of cannabis prohibition is a history of crooks in high places fueling and exploiting public fears and ignorance for personal or organizational gain.
Fortunately, the old fears of the “marijuana menace” have steadily subsided, while history, available scientific data, and industrial practices on more cannabis-friendly soil justify the repeal of all cannabis-associated prohibitions and the reintroduction of hemp and marijuana into the economy. The mountain of proof exonerates cannabis. It also leads the critical thinker to see the true motivations behind cannabis restriction, ask how such restrictions have negatively affected humanity, and how we might still reap the benefits that cannabis has to offer.
A Brief History
Like most “contraband” now targeted by the War on Drugs in the United States and around the world, cannabis wasn’t always prohibited. In fact, from the 17th to the end of the 19th century, its production was encouraged, in some cases, even mandated. During that time, hemp, the variant of cannabis with very low THC levels, was a vital resource in the production of goods such as ropes, sails, and clothing. Hemp’s cousin, cannabis sativa, which we know now as marijuana, eventually became used in medicines. In some cases, it was of such value to the contemporary economy, the Virginia Assembly passed legislation in 1619 requiring every farmer to grow it. It was not until after the Civil War that the versatile crop began to lose its ubiquity in goods production.[2]
Around the time hemp was losing ground as a dominant fiber in the United States, immigrants coming from Mexico introduced the recreational use of marijuana to Americans. Dislike for the new arrivals built up steadily among native-born Americans. The steady increase in xenophobia, intensified by growing competition for employment during the Depression era of the 1930s, generated public support for government-led opposition to cannabis. Early “scientific” studies painted a terrifying picture of marijuana, allegedly linking the sweet leaf to increased propensities for violence, crime, and social deviance. The film industry contributed as well. Propaganda films such as the infamous movie, Reefer Madness, hit theaters, sowing fear and hatred for the “marijuana menace” throughout the country. Such measures successfully motivated 29 states to illegalize marijuana by 1931.[3]
Later studies, most notably the La Guardia experiments of 1944, debunked many of the most horrifying myths about cannabis, specifically those that implied insanity, criminality, or deviancy following usage. The Federal Government also temporarily promoted hemp cultivated to bolster production during World War II. Yet despite this, marijuana prohibition legislation ebbed and flowed over the course of the 20th and early 21st centuries. Flurries of severe criminal statutes set in place in the 1950s, followed by a temporary rollback of aggressive policies in the 1960s and ‘70s. In the 1980s, the “War on Drugs” ramped up again in the Reagan Era, bringing with it a resurgence of hardline policies toward the possession, production and dealing of the so-called Devil’s Lettuce.[4] It was not until November 2012, when Colorado became the first state to legalize recreational marijuana, that marijuana policies started to roll back again enough to give hope for a permanent end to the unjustified hostility toward Cannabis.[5]
Several states have slowly legalized, or at least decriminalized marijuana. On October 6, 2022, President Joe Biden issued a presidential proclamation that pardoned federal convictions for simple marijuana possession.[6] From here, the rest of the country waits, with either excited anticipation, trepidation, or apathy, for the federal repeal of cannabis prohibition. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 finally legalized hemp agriculture in 2019. [7] There is a warranted hope that we have reached the finality of these ill-advised and destructive policies. This is especially good news, considering the numerous industrial and medical benefits that hemp and cannabis sativa have to offer.
Suppression of the Hemp Industry
Possibly the most devastating consequence of Cannabis prohibition in industrial and environmental terms is the suppression of hemp cultivation in the United States and the western world. As already mentioned, hemp is an extremely versatile crop with tremendous potential in multiple industries. Yet the efforts of ignorant politicians and threatened industries ensured that hemp would be kept out of the picture, accelerating deforestation, increasing our use of and dependence on hydrocarbons, and intensifying the use of environmentally damaging pesticides and herbicides used in commercial agriculture, along with increased pollution from various forms of industrial chemical waste. While it’s fortunate that hemp has been returned to its rightful legal status, there are many reasons why it should be established as a major crop as soon as possible.
First, the cultivation of hemp bears both ecological and economic advantages. It only takes 90 days from seeding until it’s ready for harvest, and an additional 30-45 days if grown for seeds. Compare this with cotton’s 180-day cycle. Hemp is also drought resistant once established, only requiring 10-14 inches of rain in the first six weeks until hardy enough to sustain prolonged dry conditions. This makes hemp an exceptionally well-suited crop for states in drier parts of the country, such as California, which rely on extensive irrigation systems to maintain agriculture.[8]
Furthermore, hemp cultivation requires minimal fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides. The crop grows so densely that it crowds out weeds, minimizing or completely negating the need for herbicides. It is also so pest-resistant that it requires little to no insecticides. In fact, its properties as a repellent are such that it is grown as a barrier crop in China to ward off pests. Its fertilizer requirements are also significantly lower than that of other feedstocks, including widely grown crops such as cotton and flax.[9]
The minimal water and chemical requirements associated with hemp agriculture can not only save money on water and agricultural supplies. There are also noteworthy ecological advantages. A transition toward hemp cultivation could mitigate the costly environmental damages caused by the use of petroleum-based herbicides and pesticides, along with reduced use of nitrogen fertilizers. These chemicals tend to wash into waterways, causing eutrophication (overgrowth of plant life, leading to the eradication of animal wildlife.)[10] Agricultural waste also makes its way into our drinking water, slowly and steadily lacing our bodies with harmful toxins. A transition to hemp could be a step toward slowing, stopping, or reversing this trend.
Additionally, cultivating hemp for textiles carries additional economic benefits. In terms of land usage, one study concluded that hemp grown in 25 square miles of land area could produce over 100 million pairs of jeans, only 1/10th the land area needed for cotton.[11] Switching to hemp can also reduce the cost of the massive agriculture subsidy programs that the U.S. government devotes billions to every year. Cotton, the third most subsidized crop in the United States today, accounts for roughly $15.8 billion per year alone. Replacing a portion of these expensive crops with cheaper feedstocks that demonstrate a better land economy has the potential to greatly reduce the overall expenses of these programs.[12]
Hemp has a multitude of industrial uses to go along with its agricultural benefits. Its durable and water-resistant fibers make it well-suited in both textile and paper production, notably in denim jeans and pulps requiring greater strength and durability, such as paper money. It has a tear strength of 62%- nearly eight times greater than cotton and other natural fibers. Hemp has also proven itself as a valuable raw material for composites. Much more lightweight, durable, and water-resistant than many competitors, hemp demonstrates high value in industries such as vehicle manufacturing and general construction geotextiles. The recyclability of hemp boosts its value, along with the lower manufacturing costs and greater occupational safety associated with hemp-based composite production. Other uses of hemp include animal feed, barrier crops to ward off pests, biofuel, food, and cosmetics. It is also proven to have properties in bioremediation, drawing heavy metals from grounds previously polluted by industry. In this regard, it has been,
“used to process greywater in Australia, extensively tested in Europe for the removal of heavy metals from the soil, including cadmium, lead, copper, zinc, and nickel often associated with mining, used for the cleanup of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at a site in Hawaii, and cultivated o radionuclide-contaminated soils at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor site.”[13]
Despite the dearth of research on hemp as a raw material, it possesses enough economic and ecological value to make it eligible as a staple agricultural crop in both the United States and the rest of the world. The ease of cultivation, the relatively low costs, occupational safety, and recyclability associated with production, and the low environmental impact hemp has in every stage of its development would make it a welcome development in any country. Thankfully, state and federal governments have finally rolled back enough red tape and prohibitions to allow for the development of hemp-related industries. We may yet see a more efficient, prosperous, and sustainable economy ahead thanks to the widespread adoption of marijuana’s innocent cousin.
But several consequences of its prohibition remain. The dominance of wood-based paper in the absence of hemp exacerbated mass deforestation and increased sulfur and chlorine pollution. The heavier pesticide, herbicide, fertilizer, and irrigation needs of alternative fibers, such as cotton, have led to greater reliance on non-organic hydrocarbon-based fertilizers, eutrophication of nearby waterways, and other chemical runoff that could have otherwise been averted through hemp cultivation.[14] An untold amount of taxpayers could have been saved, not only in cleaning up pollution caused by these other practices but billions of dollars, which could have otherwise been used, were foolishly invested in the absurd and ham-fisted prohibition of hemp, ranging from the destruction of DEA-licensed hemp fields (yes, you read that right) and the cumbersome administrative process of issuing licenses and permits for hemp cultivation, to the asinine practice of pulling up wild hemp (also known as ditchweed), conducted by the DEA in accordance with marijuana eradication and suppression programs.[15] Prohibiting hemp alongside marijuana is a prime example of the grossly myopic, vapid, and harmful manner by which our government imposes needless prohibitions upon its people. The most frustratingly stupid aspect of this is that, despite the mountain of data supporting the reintroduction of hemp, the DEA itself opposes even theoretically THC-free hemp, due to its similar appearance to marijuana.[16] Yet even marijuana has untapped uses that justify its legal cultivation.
Hamstrung Advances in Health and Medicine
Just as the hemp industry was historically stifled by the fear and consequent prohibitions of marijuana in the 20th century, our understanding of the potential benefits of marijuana itself has been diligently suppressed. While humankind has missed out on the many industrial uses of hemp, it has likewise been deprived of the possible medical benefits of marijuana. As in case the of hemp, this possible untapped potential has been stifled by decades of ignorant restrictions, resulting in a lack of research and development.
Yet, while definitive research into uncovering the pharmaceutical uses of cannabis sativa is woefully lacking, there is a degree of evidence that it possesses a range of medical benefits. The most notable of these benefits is marijuana’s ability to suppress mild to moderate pain.[17] The CBD derived from the plant is also believed to be effective in, “relieving insomnia, anxiety, spasticity, and pain to treating potentially life-threatening conditions such as epilepsy. One particular form of childhood epilepsy called Dravet syndrome is almost impossible to control with conventional medicine but responds dramatically well to a CBD-dominant strain of marijuana called Charlotte’s Web.”[18] Marijuana also has the potential to replace widely used NSAIDs such as Ibuprofen for pain treatment for patients with kidney problems, ulcers, or GERD.[19]
Considering the wide range of conditions that marijuana, along with its lack of side effects and low addictive quality should make it an obvious candidate as a pharmaceutical resource. However, years of prohibition caused more than a dearth of medically relevant research. The absence of marijuana in the medical field facilitated the introduction and entrenchment of opiate-based medicine. Far more potent and addictive, this deadly class of narcotics has been widely prescribed for pain treatment since the beginning of modern medicine and continues to be a significant medication long after other substances, such as alcohol, cocaine, and, yes, marijuana, were removed from the catalog of pharmaceuticals. The tragic results of the over-prescription and abuse of these opiates is far-reaching and reverberate to this day. Opiate addiction in the United States is rampant, claiming an estimated 82,998 lives in 2022.[20] Furthermore, the CDC states that fatal opioid deaths and opioid use disorder cost the United States 1 trillion dollars in 2017 alone.[21] Despite its destructive qualities, however, opiates are still a mainstay in palliative care, and a well-defended one at that. The very organizations that produce these potentially destructive medicines also staunchly oppose the legalization of medical marijuana. The reason, as you have probably guessed, is money. Pharma bros are simply afraid that the acceptance and legalization of medical marijuana will adversely affect their market shares. A prime example is when INSYS Therapeutics donated $500,000 to the anti-legalization drive in Arizona during the 2016 elections. This company, as you may have guessed, is also a producer of SUBSYS, a fentanyl-derived medication up to 100 times more potent than morphine.[22] Other opponents include Perdue Pharma and Abbott Laboratories, the producers of Oxycontin and Vicodin, respectively.[23]
Concerns over losing market share wouldn’t seem so nefarious if, for instance, it simply meant less freedom of choice for patients. But mounting research suggests that these companies aren’t just willing to sacrifice freedom of choice or potential medical progress. Recent studies demonstrate that opiate overdoses have dropped 25% in states that have legalized marijuana[24], and that Medicare costs for prescription drugs dropped $165 million in 2013 alone in states that have legalized medical marijuana. It is estimated that Medicare would save around $470 million annually following national legalization. But wasted public money, and most importantly, human lives, are not at the top of the list for pharmaceutical companies, who continue to lobby the government in opposition to marijuana legalization, while people continue to die by the thousands from opioid addiction and millions of dollars in taxpayer funds are siphoned into their pockets.[25]
Conclusion
Cannabis prohibition in the United States seems to be on its last legs. That’s a good thing, and the future looks brighter when we consider the numerous industrial, medical, and environmental benefits of reestablishing hemp and cannabis as an agricultural mainstay. We cannot undo the past, and for that reason, we must remember the disastrous effects of absurd and malicious restrictions enacted under the authority of pig-headed and benighted bureaucrats and officials on every level of government. The story of cannabis prohibition in the United States is, if nothing else, a cautionary tale against the abuse of power. But the cudgel-dragging, pea-brained behemoth that the federal government is, has finally begun to lumber its clumsy mass out of the way. The government’s withdrawal also means that cannabis-hating industries have lost their most effective instrument through which they can impose their will. A brighter, more economical, and sustainable path to the future now lies clear before us. The past opportunities and advances those holding the levers of power once so arrogantly shielded us from can now be realized, and this author has every confidence that there is enough ingenuity, industry, and resolve in the United States and the rest of the world to get the job done.
[1] https://www.aclu.org/news/smart-justice/hundreds-economists-marijuana-prohibition-costs-billions
[2] Marijuana Timeline | Busted - America's War On Marijuana | FRONTLINE | PBS
[3] Marijuana Timeline | Busted - America's War On Marijuana | FRONTLINE | PBS
[4] Marijuana Timeline | Busted - America's War On Marijuana | FRONTLINE | PBS
[5] https://cannabis.colorado.gov/legal-marijuana-use-in-colorado
[6] https://www.justice.gov/pardon/presidential-proclamation-marijuana-possession#:~:text=On%20October%206%2C%202022%2C%20President,for%20simple%20marijuana%20possession%20offenses.
[8] https://reason.org/wp-content/uploads/files/a41dc5ddc78aedfad560b7820956c937.pdf
[9] https://reason.org/wp-content/uploads/files/a41dc5ddc78aedfad560b7820956c937.pdf
[10] https://reason.org/wp-content/uploads/files/a41dc5ddc78aedfad560b7820956c937.pdf
[11] https://reason.org/wp-content/uploads/files/a41dc5ddc78aedfad560b7820956c937.pdf, Pg. 15
[12] https://reason.org/wp-content/uploads/files/a41dc5ddc78aedfad560b7820956c937.pdf
[13] https://reason.org/wp-content/uploads/files/a41dc5ddc78aedfad560b7820956c937.pdf
[14] https://reason.org/wp-content/uploads/files/a41dc5ddc78aedfad560b7820956c937.pdf
[15] https://reason.org/wp-content/uploads/files/a41dc5ddc78aedfad560b7820956c937.pdf
[16] https://reason.org/wp-content/uploads/files/1030ae0323a3140ecf531bd473632b57.pdf
[17] Medical marijuana - Harvard Health
[18] Medical marijuana - Harvard Health
[19] Medical marijuana - Harvard Health
[20]https://blogs.cdc.gov/nchs/2023/05/18/7365/#:~:text=The%20only%20state%20in%20which,82%2C310%20in%20the%20previous%20year.
[21] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7015a1.htm
[22] Inside big pharma's fight to block recreational marijuana | Guardian sustainable business | The Guardian
[23] Inside big pharma's fight to block recreational marijuana | Guardian sustainable business | The Guardian
[24] Medical Cannabis Laws and Opioid Analgesic Overdose Mortality in the United States, 1999-2010 | Adolescent Medicine | JAMA Internal Medicine | JAMA Network
[25] Inside big pharma's fight to block recreational marijuana | Guardian sustainable business | The Guardian,