Uncle Sam Wants...Cannabis?

During WWII, cannabis was a much sought-after commodity...by the US government.

(Yes, there really was a government-orchestrated, war-driven Grow Hemp for Victory campaign in 1942. The effort even encouraged children in rural areas to fulfill their patriotic duty and grow cannabis. Uncle Sam definitely sent some self-serving mixed messaging there…)

But it wasn’t just for hemp fiber alone. In 1942, the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS) - the agency that preceded the CIA - investigated the use of marijuana as a truth serum. Tests were run to determine if it could be used while interrogating the enemy. They used honey oil made from hashish and tried it out on OSS personnel.

What happened during those tests?

Shockingly, laughter happened. There was also some rambling, some paranoia, some silence, some staring, but it was mostly laughter. The same plant that federally remains a Schedule 1 substance (deemed more dangerous than Schedule 2, which features cocaine and methamphetamine) was tested on federal employees and the official government report - in 1942! - concluded that cannabis use resulted in fits of laughter.

Guess who signed that report?

FBN Director Harry Anslinger. He was the same fella that, you know, officially went on record for decades about the murderous rampages and the uncontrollable violence caused by cannabis use, tricking the nation and the world into believing a false narrative to further his own racist and xenophobic agenda.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. It’s not about the plant.

Contact Elucidation Strategies for cannabis consulting services.