History of Prohibition
For most of human history, marijuana has been completely legal. It's not a recently discovered plant, nor is it a long-standing law. Marijuana has been illegal for less than 1% of the time that it's been in use. The marijuana (hemp) plant, of course, has an incredible number of uses. The earliest known woven fabric was apparently of hemp, and over the centuries the plant was used for food, incense, cloth, rope, and much more.
Through out the 16 and 1700’s it became compulsory for farmers to grow hemp in some states of America. Farmers could be jailed for not growing hemp during times of shortage in Virginia between 1763 and 1767. So how did this once invaluable plant become so demonised and prohibited throughout the majority of the world. Well the history of cannabis prohibition is largely surrounded by Racism, Fear Propaganda and protection of corporate profits.
This versatile plant first came into controversy in America in the early 1900s through its connection with Mexican and African-american culture. The western states developed significant tensions regarding the influx of Mexican-Americans. The revolution in Mexico in 1910 spilled over the border, with General Pershing's army clashing with bandit Pancho Villa. Later in that decade, bad feelings developed between the small farmer and the large farms that used cheaper Mexican labor. Then, the depression came and increased tensions, as jobs and welfare resources became scarce.
In the eastern states, the "problem" was attributed to a combination of Latin Americans and black jazz musicians. Marijuana and jazz traveled from New Orleans to Chicago, and then to Harlem, where marijuana became an indispensable part of the music scene. Again, racism was part of the charge against marijuana, as newspapers in 1934 stated that: "Marihuana influences Negroes to look at white people in the eye, step on white men's shadows and look at a white woman twice."
Two other fear-tactic rumors started to spread: one, that Mexicans, Blacks and other foreigners were snaring white children with marijuana; and two, the story of the "assassins." Early stories of Marco Polo had told of "hasheesh-eaters" or hashashin, from which derived the term "assassin." "Under the influence of hashish those fanatics would madly rush at their enemies, and ruthlessly massacre every one within their grasp." Within a very short time, marijuana started being linked to violent behavior.
In 1930, a new division in the Treasury Department was established -- the Federal Bureau of Narcotics -- and Harry J. Anslinger was named director. This, if anything, marked the beginning of the all-out war against marijuana. With the great failure and end of alcohol prohibition in 1933, Anslinger immediately drew upon the themes of racism and violence to draw national attention to the problem he wanted to create. He also promoted and frequently read from "Gore Files" -- wild reefer-madness-style exploitation tales of ax murderers on marijuana and sex and... Negroes. Here are some quotes that have been widely attributed to Anslinger and his Gore Files:
Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men."
"Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing"
"...the primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races."
Joining Anslinger in americas anti-cannabis propaganda was William Randolf Hearst, owner of a huge chain of newspapers. Hearst had lots of reasons to help. First, he hated Mexicans. Second, he had invested heavily in the timber industry to support his newspaper chain and didn't want to see the development of hemp paper in competition. Third, he had lost 800,000 acres of timberland to Pancho Villa, so he hated Mexicans. Fourth, telling lurid lies about Mexicans (and the devil marijuana weed causing violence) sold newspapers, making him rich.
Hearst and Anslinger were then supported by Dupont chemical company and various pharmaceutical companies in the effort to outlaw cannabis. Dupont had patented nylon, and wanted hemp removed as competition. The pharmaceutical companies could neither identify nor standardize cannabis dosages, and besides, with cannabis, folks could grow their own medicine and not have to purchase it from large companies.

On the basis of these lies, on August 2, 1937, marijuana became illegal at the federal level.

During the 'reefer madness' propaganda of the 1930s, New Zealanders generally equated marijuana with hashish - some shady, foreign habit that was inexorably linked to orientals and their opium smoking. Certainly no one connected the evil, addictive marijuana that they'd heard horror stories about with the innocuous bright green remedies available from the local chemist! This multimillion dollar propaganda regime eventually proved successful in new Zealand when cannabis was outlawed and throughout the country in 1961.
So what progress has been made since then in revealing the truth behind these marijuana myths. Well not much at all in fact the complete opposite can be seen with more and more of tax payers money being spent on catching people commiting this victimless crime. In 1998 300,000 police hours and 20 million dollars were spent cannabis busts in New Zealand. New Zealand also claims the most cannabis related convictions per capita in the world with 23,000 arrests in 98 half of which were for possession.
It might be assumed that today’s government have since gained factual reasons for the continued prohibition of cannabis.
And last Thursday this question was posed to associate health minister jim anderton as to the current reasons of cannabis prohibiton in new Zealand today.

• Legalization would lead to increased number of marijuana addicts
• Inaccurate because prohibition isn’t working at the moment. Eg
Over 80% of 21yr olds have tried it and over 50% pop hav tried it
And in south aussi where it has been decriminalized there has been no difference in use rates.
• Without prohibition cannabis would make its way into the hands of adolescents and school children
• By legalizing it could be regulated instead of being in the hands of the criminal underworld who are more than happy to sell to children
• The govt cannot tax marijuana
• In Holland cannabis is taxed just like any other product. Growers and sellers are obliged to get permits just as liquor licenses that we have at the moment.
• Because it is a gateway drug leading on to harder drugs like opiates and other class A’s
• The reason cannabis users end up on other harder drugs is specifically because of prohibition itself. Because it is illegal it means people wanting to smoke cannabis must get it from the drug black market. When they go to a tinny house or drug dealer this is when they are offer other illegal drugs that they would not have a chance of encountering if it was purchased at a regulated store just like alcohol.

• Because illicit drugs already costs the country so much in with 519 million and legalizing cannabis would increase this amount.
• In fact it legalizing cannabis would prove the opposite as most of cannabis related cost are incurred in the long legal processes in arresting and convicting cannabis smokers.

• Real reason is political: harse drug legislations get votes that’s why jim anderton is really doing it.

We know of no scholarly body to have endorsed cannabis prohibition as the preferred model of cannabis control. This is the case primarily because cannabis prohibition:
• Creates a lucrative and often violent black market, which preys on young people
• Impedes effective education and treatment programmes
• Increases the appeal of cannabis to rebellious young people
• Creates disrespect for the law
• Breeds police corruption
• Marginalises and oppresses young people and racial minorities, including Maori

Maori although similar stats to cannabis use to European are 3 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis. Because of police looking for stereotypical pot smoker
• Maori
• Male
• teenager

New Zealand pot smokers
1998 drug statistics carried out by the ministry of health.
Concern about individuals’ own marijuana use was also surveyed. A high proportion (82 percent) of users stated that they did not need help to reduce their marijuana consumption. Ten percent said they needed “a little help”, 6 percent said they needed “some help”, and 1 percent said they needed a lot of help. Six percent said they had had
help in the past. About 4 percent of surveyed marijuana users stated that they had wanted help to reduce their use of marijuana, but did not receive any help. When asked the reasons why they did not receive the help they needed, the most frequent replies were not knowing where to go, social pressure to keep using marijuana, and fear of the
consequences from contacting services.

Why youth smokes cannabis

A question that must be asked is why is it that the youth of today in growing numbers feels that they need to be able to escape the social trappings of reality with drugs. I know it must sound a bit idealistic but
The answer to drug abuse does not lie in the continued harassment and punishment of the drug trade's victims. Nor does it lie in the “normalisation” and “harm minimisation” orientation now becoming fashionable in ruling circles. It lies in tackling the problem at its source: transforming conditions for the majority of the population so that life becomes a challenging and fulfilling experience, not a “disappointing” and “mediocre” one.

Another consideration is that it is infinitely preferable to the official establishment to have a significant proportion of the youth befuddled by drugs than to face a broad social movement opposed to the long-term unemployment, lack of opportunity and social inequality confronting most young people. Moreover, relentless job destruction has reduced the need of employers for a large, alert and drug-free workforce.

In New Zealand growers of cannabis crops increased significantly under the 80’s labour govt that removed import barriers and cut govt subsidies which forced many working class new Zealanders to supplement their low incomes with growing and selling cannabis.

Prohibition is directly effecting the unemployed and lower class workers of New Zealand who use selling cannabis to support themselves and their families. Maori and Single unemployed women are driven into this black market by economic desperation. The real answer is drug education programes for both children and adults and equality amoung all workers.