Our sources explore the history of cannabis criminalization in the United States, highlighting the roles of key figures like Harry Anslinger, who used racist rhetoric and propaganda to demonize the plant; Andrew Mellon, whose family connections and business interests in competing industries influenced policy; DuPont, whose desire to protect its synthetic fiber market fueled the campaign; and William Randolph Hearst, whose media empire spread misinformation to sway public opinion. These accounts reveal a complex interplay of corporate greed, political maneuvering, and racial prejudice, ultimately leading to the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 and decades of prohibition. The narratives emphasize the need to understand this history to address the lasting consequences of these actions.