All you need to know

The history of weed bans around the globe

Let’s take a look at when and why weed was banned around the world, and why you should care.

Summary

TL;DR: The global history of cannabis prohibition is a complex narrative intertwined with racism, xenophobia and social control. This site explores the history of cannabis prohibition around the world and the racist motivations behind many of these policies. I want to fight the stigma and bring people together by showing the world how widespread the positive use of this miracle drug is.

Early Restrictions

Cannabis prohibition began as early as the 14th century when Soudoun Sheikouni, an Arabian emir, outlawed its use. However, widespread bans didn’t emerge until much later.

In the 19th century, several countries began implementing restrictions:

  • 1787: Madagascar banned cannabis, imposing capital punishment for its use
  • 1800: Napoleon banned cannabis in Egypt following his invasion
  • 1840: British Mauritius banned cannabis
  • 1870: The British Natal Colony (now South Africa) prohibited cannabis use among Indian workers

20th Century Prohibition

The early 20th century saw a significant increase in cannabis bans globally, often fueled by racist and xenophobic sentiments:

United States
The U.S. prohibition of cannabis was deeply rooted in racism. Key events include:

  • 1910s: Mexican immigrants introduced recreational cannabis use, leading to fear and prejudice
  • 1930s: Harry J. Anslinger, head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, launched a racist campaign against cannabis. He most famously noted: “Reefer makes darkies think they’re as good as white men.”
  • 1937: The Marihuana Tax Act effectively criminalized cannabis nationwide

Global Bans
Many countries followed suit in banning cannabis:

  • 1925: The Second International Opium Convention regulated cannabis internationally
  • 1913: Jamaica banned cannabis
  • 1920: Mexico banned cultivation, sale, and recreational use
  • 1923: Canada, Panama, and Italy banned cannabis

What can we learn from all this?

Cannabis has been illegal for some time. The reason for this is generally not health related and the whole war on drugs has been very negative for everyone involved.

Instead of focusing on the positive and even healing aspects of marijuana, fear-mongering and demonization have been the main talking points for a long time. And while marijuana is quite safe for many people to use, it is still either heavily regulated, unavailable or outright illegal. All this while nicotine and alcohol are freely available to the general public.

In this day and age we should take a closer look and ask ourselves if we are doing things for the right or wrong reasons. The prohibition of cannabis is one of those cases where the answer should be obvious to most, although public opinion can still be rather negative at times.