The Godfather of America's War on Drugs: Harry J. Anslinger

Inspired by : Smoke Signals, Martin A. Lee

From 1930, Harry J. Anslinger saw through six US Presidents as the Director of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FDN). During his head, Anslinger took great pride in his role as "the arch nemesis of marijuana".

The more we learn about the political, social and economic history of cannabis - there are characters who come up time and time again. Harry J. Anslinger is one of them.

Panto-baddies usually have a comedic element too. Anslinger's knee-slapper is the fact he complained of several chronic ailments - most of which cannabis would be a most effective remedy! Insomnia, stress, lack of craic.

Booo to the Booze Ban

In the roaring twenties, Harry played a key role in the United States’ "bureau of prohibition" (prohibition of alcohol, that is). He was known for pushing draconian measures to arrest and punish liquor drinkers.

By the time alcohol prohibition ended in 1933, it was a “widely acknowledged public-policy rejection”. Return to boozin’ in the U.S.A was detrimental to Anslinger’s credibility and leadership. So, what happens when a power hungry man has his ego hurt? I'm sure we could think of a few examples.

The Real Motives of Reefer Madness

Anslinger didn’t take much notice of Mr Muggles until 1934 when his department was up for the chop. A nation faced with financial depression, the bureau’s budget was cut. Then, by some insidious inspiration, Anslinger identified cannabis as his potential hook.

Set out to convince congress and the general population - cannabis or “marijuana” (as he would refer to it), was a terrible new menace to the integrity of the United States. An issue that would require a well-funded Bureau of Narcotics.

Green Disgust and Yellow Journalism

"Brown-skinned Mexicans migrating across the border” to escape the fallout of the Mexican Revolution, were accused as the catalysts for emergence of locoweed smoking in America.

While Mexico had tougher cannabis restrictions, bud smoking was “commonplace amongst the dispossessed Mexicans”. Border towns such as El Paso, Texas were some of the first places to outlaw the sale and possession of cannabis.

"Keep newcomers in their place"

Early cannabis restrictions were an attempt to “keep newcomers in their place”. News press and yellow journalism reported “Mexican locoweed” as the most imminent threat to American life.

Illegitimate Watchdog Powers

It's important to note, cannabis was already illegal in several states before Anslinger took the reigns at the FBN. The first restrictions of cannabis in the U.S came in 1906 under Congress' Pure Food and Drugs Act.

They created a list of “intoxicating ingredients” which had to be identified on product labels. It also included cocaine, alcohol, opiates and chloral hydrate. This legislation overlapped into health matters and granted the U.S government watchdog powers on what Americans could consume to make themselves feel better. This led to the prohibition of opiates and cocaine in 1914. Alcohol followed in 1918.

Create Lies and Quote Them

Determined to criminalize the herb at a federal level and maintain his bureaucratic status, Anslinger invested in and promoted the tales of “marijuana-induced mayhem”. He fed juicy and mostly fictional police anecdotes to reporters. The FBN chief would then later cite these articles to make his case to the bureau.

"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."

Harry J. Anslinger, testimony to Congress, 1937

La Guardia Report

The more people tried cannabis, the more they became aware of the level deception imposed by the press and governing elite. The U.S. Gov would invest heavily over several decades in search of evidence they'd never find.

A report commissioned by the state of New York in 1944 found “marijuana is not addictive and does not cause insanity, sexual deviance, violence or criminal misconduct.”

Other findings from "La Guardia Report" and the New York Academy of Medicine who conducted the research over five years:

• "The practice of smoking marijuana does not lead to addiction in the medical sense"

• "The sale and distribution of marijuana is not under control by one single group"

• "Marijuana is not a determining factor in the commission of major crimes"

• "Juvenile delinquency is not associated with marijuana"

• "Use does not lead to morphine or heroin or cocaine addiction"

• "In point of fact...cannabis is a mild euphoriant"

The report also found it was incorrect to describe cannabis as a "narcotic" - a term for a potentially lethal drug that depresses the brain function.

"Therefore, the gateway drug theory is without foundation" - La Guardia conclusion 1944

Debunking the "gateway drug theory" was a huge blow to the prohibitionists - as it was one of their main drivers used to implement pot policy. The report also recommended further investigation into the therapeutic properties and its derivatives.

Anslinger was furious. He publicly berated the report - discrediting it as "unscientific". He accused the state of New York of presenting a "government-printed invitation ... to smoke all the reefers they like". He forbade anymore research being carried out and threatened doctors and scientists with jail time if they rebelled.

What does a ruling system do when they are struggling to justify the oppression of their people? Create legislation that does. Limit and distort education on the matter. Censor information. Discredit those who demonstrate the truth. Construct false stories that reinforce societal bias against those they wish to oppress.

La Guardia wouldn't be the only government funded study on cannabis which the same government would later have to denounce.

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