Ever Wondered Why Marijuana Is Illegal In The First Place?

With more and more states moving to legalize recreational cannabis (AKA Marijuana) and Minnesota taking another stab at it.  Compared to things that are already legal and readily available to responsible adults makes one wonder why it was made illegal in the first place.

There are a few theories on this. The one that holds the most credence is the action of a newspaper mogul by the name of William Randolph Hearst. You see, Mr. Hearst was a big newspaper publisher from San Francisco. He also held a major share of the paper manufacturing business back in the 1930s.

Get our free mobile app

READ: OPINION: Why Does South Dakota Seem to Hate (Cannabis) Money?

Reefer Madness along with Hearst's connections and racism spurred the illegalization of cannabis in the United States.

Cannabis, which has a zero death rate among users, was made a Schedule 1 drug. Other substances in the Schedule 1 category are heroin and meth.  Research is not allowed on things that are categorized Schedule 1, thus no research was done on cannabis.

Just in the last couple of decades, much research has been done revealing many health and medical benefits of cannabis. In reality, William Randolph Hearst's efforts set cannabis's medical benefits back some 70 years.

Today, the majority of Americans support the legalization of both medical and recreational cannabis.

Read More: Since the legalization of recreational pot, Colorado has done $12 billion in sales.

Whether you agree with legalization or not, I guarantee one or more people you will deal with on a daily basis uses cannabis on a regular or semi-regular basis.

I believe if it was totally up to the people, cannabis would be totally legal everywhere in the U.S.

FLASHBACK: South Dakota Supreme Court Strikes Down Voter-Approved Marijuana Amendment