A look back at a law that marked the history of hemp
Understanding the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937
Le Marijuana Tax ActThe Cannabis Act, passed in the United States in 1937, is a landmark piece of legislation that profoundly changed the perception and use of cannabis, including industrial hemp. This legislation marked the beginning of the cannabis prohibitionalthough it does not directly prohibit it. So what exactly did this law say and what were its consequences? Here's how.
The historical context of the Marijuana Tax Act
Rising tensions over cannabis
In the 1930s, cannabis became the target of a vast misinformation campaign orchestrated by influential figures and government institutions. This period saw the emergence of an alarmist discourse associating cannabis consumption with criminal behaviourjuvenile delinquency and a lack of threat for American society.
Harry J. Anslingerthen Director of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, played a key role in this project. anti-cannabis crusade. It relies on sensationalist stories and biased testimonies to convince public opinion and legislators that cannabis is dangerous. Influential newspapers relay these messages with hard-hitting headlines and articles that exaggerate the effects of cannabis, often associating it with marginalised communities.
These efforts culminate in a veritable demonisation cannabis, which is presented not as a drug but as a medicinal plant or industry, but as a social scourge requiring urgent legislative intervention.

A fiscal and moral objective
Officially, the Marijuana Tax Act did not ban cannabis, but imposed an dissuasive tax on its cultivation, sale and use. The aim was clear: to drastically reduce the use of cannabis while giving legal legitimacy to this approach.
The main provisions of the Marijuana Tax Act
Le Marijuana Tax Act required that :
- All cannabis-related transactions go through a system of expensive licences.
- Unregistered users or producers will be liable to severe criminal penalties.
- A prohibitive tax is applied at every stage of the production and distribution chain.
These constraints made the use and cultivation of cannabis almost impossible.
The consequences of this law
Impact on industrial hemp
Although distinct from psychtropic cannabis, the industrial hemp has also been affected by this law. Its production, which is essential in sectors such as textile or the constructionhas fallen considerably. Farmers, already under economic pressure, preferred to abandon this crop rather than face costly regulations and heavy. This drop in production has had a negative impact on the supply of raw materials for industries that used hemp. This has often forced them to turn to less sustainable alternatives such as cotton or synthetic fibres. The Marijuana Tax Act has contributed to a demonisation hemp. This made it difficult to rehabilitate, even decades later.
Towards a review of the Marijuana Tax Act

In 1942, in the midst of the Second World War, the United States launched a short film by propaganda entirely dedicated to hemp : Hemp for Victory. This film, produced by the US Department of theAgriculturewas designed to encourage farmers to grow hemp, a plant that has been illegal since the famous Marihuana Tax Act in 1937.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor In 1941, the United States entered the war and was faced with a major challenge. fibre shortage essential for producing cordsstraps parachutes and various military equipment. With hemp production in the Philippines and the East Indies under Japanese control, and jute imports from India severely restricted, the country had to find a solution. Sails, ropes and textiles have depended on hemp for centuries. In response to this urgent need, the US government is launching a campaign to promoting home-grown hempThis was particularly true in states such as Kentucky and Wisconsin. Growing hemp became a patriotic act, temporarily decriminalised to support the war effort.
In the 1960s and 1970s, voices were also raised to denounce the injustice of this law, notably through movements for the decriminalisation of cannabis. Although the Marijuana Tax Act was repealed in 1970 and replaced by the Controlled Substances Act, its negative legacy persists.
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