15 most ridiculous quotes about 'marihuana' by Harry J. Anslinger

Harry J. Anslinger was the director of the FBN (Federal Bureau of Narcotics - these days the DEA) from 1930 until 1962. Back in the day he was one of the biggest supporters of prohibition.

By using the mass media as his forum (receiving much support from publisher William Randolph Hearst), Anslinger was the main person behind the creating of an anti-marijuana sentiment during those years. The anti-marijuana propaganda film Reefer Madness from 1936 is a good example of his work.

There were two component in his strategy. First, the message that weed is evil. Second, racism, according to him only latinos and black people were smoking 'marihuana' and made them 'forget their place in society'.

Here below you can read 15 of his most ridiculous quotes about cannabis. You have been warned...

1. Marijuana is the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind.​
2. Reefer makes darkies think they're as good as white men.​
3. There are 100,000 total marijuana smokers in the US, and most are Negroes, Hispanics, Filipinos and entertainers. Their Satanic music, jazz and swing, result from marijuana usage. This marijuana causes white women to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers and any others.​​
4. You smoke a joint and you're likely to kill your brother.​
5. Marijuana is an addictive drug which produces in its users insanity, criminality, and death.
6. The primary reason to outlaw marijuana is its effect on the degenerate races.​
7. No one knows, when he places a marijuana cigarette to his lips, whether he will become a joyous reveller in a musical heaven, a mad insensate, a calm philosopher, or a murderer.
8. If the hideous monster Frankenstein came face to face with marijuana, he would drop dead of fright.
9. Some people will fly into a delirious rage, and they are temporarily irresponsible and may commit violent crimes. Other people will laugh uncontrollably. It is impossible to say what the effect will be on any individual.
10. Marihuana leads to pacifism and communist brainwashing.​
11. It is dangerous to the mind and body, and particularly dangerous to the criminal type, because it releases all of the inhibitions.
12. The use of cannabis, whether smoked or ingested in its various form, undoubtedly gives rise to a form of addiction, which has serious social consequences (abandonment of work, propensity to theft and crime, disappearance of reproductive power).
13. I do not think there is such a thing as not being able to cure an addict. Marihuana addicts must go to a Federal narcotic farm.
14. The addict pays anywhere from 10 to 25 cents per cigarette. It will be sold by the cigarette. In illicit traffic the bulk price would be around $20 per pound. Legitimately, the bulk is around $2 per pound.
15. They found some marihuana growing in one of the prisons. We heard of that. There was a seizure made in the Colorado State Reformatory for boys not long ago.

Photo credits: Wikipedia