Anti-weed film posters

As marijuana becomes main stream and more states consider legalization, a question on many people's mind is, "Why is marijuana illegal in the first place?" In the 19th century cannabis was used in many medicinal remedies, but it wasn't until the 1930's that marijuana was put in a negative light. In the early 1900's many mexican immigrants used 'marihuana' as an alternative to expensive alcohol during prohibition, and during The Great Depression xenophobic leaders manipulated Americans into believing marijuana was causing them to go insane and commit violent crimes. It wasn't long before movies like Reefer Madness were createdto represent these false ideas and states began to ban marijuana. 

Though Reefer Madness was the most famous anti-weed screed, it was soon followed by many imitators, including Assassin of Youth, where all-night marijuana parties lead to violence, and Marihuana, where an innocent girl winds up impregnated, addicted to heroin and planning a kidnapping, all because of a single puff.