 In the beginning
A New Orleans District Attorney, Public Safety Commission and as well as newspapers from 1910 through the 1930's, Proclaimed "Marijuana" insidious evil influence appears to show it's self in making 'Darkies' think they were as good as white men"(17 ).
Captain Richmond P. Hobson, president of the International Narcotic Education Association, addressed the audience of NBC's radio network on March 1, 1928. During his address he said the fight against drugs is "in the midst of a life and death struggle with the deadliest foe that has ever menaced its future," and "the perpetuation of civilization, the destiny of the world, and the future of the human race were hanging upon the narcotics issue."(18 ).
Eugene Stanley, district attorney, parish of Orleans, New Orleans, La. said about Marijuana "Natives in the Malayan peninsula have been known, 'while under the influence, to engage In violent and bloody deeds with, complete disregard for their personal safety or the odds arrayed against them. To run "amok" there is synonymous with saying one is under the Influence of this drug."(19 ).
Writer Earle Rowell wrote marijuana is "The Liar," which superimposes a "devilish form" on the user's character. The user could not tell the difference between good or bad, so the user go long with anything, he said "No totalitarian state can as completely convince its citizens of the truth of a lie as Marijuana can its serfs."(20).
Dr William C Woodward, long time legislative counsel for the American Medical Association was asked (during the 1937 tax act hearings) "Don't you think legislation is necessary?" He replied "No I do not...it is not a medical addiction that is involved."(21 ).
The most scandalous crime accredited to cannabis was the death of a Florida family. Anslinger cited this case during his testimony at the Marihuana Tax Act hearings in 1937. The story goes "in Florida a 21 year old boy, under the influence of this drug killed both his parents and his brother and sister. The evidence shows he had smoked Marihuana". The real facts are, On October 16 1933 Victor Licata axed his mother, father, two brothers and a sister to death in their Tampa home. There was no evidence whatsoever that he was under the influence of cannabis. His family had a history of insanity, and the Tampa police had tried to commit Licata to an asylum the year before the crime, a full year and a half he first tried cannabis(22 ).
The Virginia Law Reviews study of the 1937 hearings on the Marihuana Tax Act said they were a "near comic example of dereliction of legislative responsibility" and "a case study in legislative carelessness."(23 ).
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