The President Who Criminalized Cannabis

When you think of Franklin D. Roosevelt, a few things probably come to mind: the New Deal, leading the U.S. through World War II, and those iconic fireside chats that calmed a nation during its darkest days. But there’s one part of FDR’s legacy that doesn’t get nearly as much attention—and that’s his role in criminalizing cannabis. Yep, you read that right. The same president who gave us Social Security and helped pull America out of the Great Depression also had a hand in turning cannabis into the boogeyman of American society.

So, how did this happen? Was FDR secretly anti-cannabis, or was he just swept up in the political currents of the time? Let’s dive into the story of how one of America’s most revered presidents inadvertently set the stage for the war on weed.

The Context: America in the 1930s

To understand how FDR ended up criminalizing cannabis, we need to take a look at the broader context of the 1930s. The Great Depression had left the country reeling, with unemployment rates soaring and millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs were aimed at providing relief, recovery, and reform, but they also expanded the role of the federal government in ways that hadn’t been seen before.

At the same time, America was grappling with the aftermath of Prohibition, which had just been repealed in 1933. The temperance movement had successfully banned alcohol for over a decade, only to see it fail spectacularly as bootlegging, organized crime, and speakeasies flourished. With alcohol now legal again, law enforcement agencies like the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN) were looking for a new target—something they could point to as the next great social menace.

Enter cannabis, which was still widely known as “hemp” or “cannabis” and used for everything from medicine to textiles. But thanks to a combination of racism, corporate interests, and a few key players in the federal government (looking at you, Harry Anslinger and Andrew Mellon), cannabis was about to become the new public enemy number one.

The Marihuana Tax Act of 1937: FDR’s Unintended Legacy

The key piece of legislation that criminalized cannabis in the United States was the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937. While FDR didn’t draft the Act himself, it was signed into law under his administration, making him complicit in its passage. So, how did this happen?

The Marihuana Tax Act was pushed through Congress by Harry Anslinger, the first commissioner of the FBN and the chief architect of the anti-cannabis campaign. Anslinger had spent years building a case against cannabis, using fear, racism, and misinformation to convince the public and lawmakers that the plant was a dangerous drug that needed to be controlled.

The Act didn’t outright ban cannabis, but it imposed heavy taxes and regulations on its cultivation, distribution, and use. In practice, this made it nearly impossible to legally grow or possess cannabis, and it effectively criminalized the plant. Farmers who had once grown hemp for industrial purposes were now out of business, and people who used cannabis for medicine were suddenly criminals.

FDR signed the Marihuana Tax Act into law on August 2, 1937, likely without fully understanding the long-term consequences it would have. After all, this was a president who was dealing with the aftermath of the Great Depression and preparing the country for a potential war in Europe. Cannabis probably wasn’t high on his list of priorities (pun intended). But by signing the Act, FDR set in motion a series of events that would lead to decades of prohibition, incarceration, and stigma surrounding cannabis.

Why Did FDR Sign the Act?

It’s worth asking: why did FDR go along with the criminalization of cannabis? The answer is probably a combination of factors. First, Roosevelt was a pragmatist, and he knew that in order to get his New Deal programs through Congress, he needed the support of conservative lawmakers who were eager to clamp down on anything they saw as a social threat. By signing the Marihuana Tax Act, FDR likely saw it as a way to appease these lawmakers and keep the focus on his broader agenda.

Second, FDR may have been influenced by the political and economic interests that were pushing for cannabis prohibition. Figures like Andrew Mellon and William Randolph Hearst had a lot to gain from eliminating hemp as a competitor to their industries, and they were more than happy to see cannabis swept off the table. Roosevelt, who was known for his ability to build coalitions and cut deals, may have seen the Act as a way to secure support from these powerful interests.

Finally, there’s the possibility that FDR simply didn’t know—or didn’t care—about the true impact of the Marihuana Tax Act. At the time, cannabis wasn’t a major issue on the national stage, and the full extent of the anti-cannabis propaganda hadn’t yet permeated the public consciousness. Roosevelt may have seen the Act as just another piece of legislation, rather than the beginning of a decades-long war on a plant that had been used safely for centuries.

The Wake’n’Bake Verdict: A President’s Unwitting Mistake

So, what’s the final verdict on FDR’s role in criminalizing cannabis? It’s a classic case of unintended consequences. Roosevelt wasn’t the driving force behind the anti-cannabis campaign, but he played a key role in allowing it to happen. By signing the Marihuana Tax Act into law, FDR unwittingly set the stage for a war on cannabis that would last for decades and cause untold harm to millions of people.

At Wake’n’Bake Lounge, we believe in learning from history—especially when it comes to understanding how we got to where we are today. The story of FDR and cannabis is a reminder that even the most well-intentioned leaders can make mistakes, and that those mistakes can have far-reaching consequences. It’s also a reminder that the war on cannabis was never really about public health or safety—it was about politics, power, and the influence of a few key players who saw an opportunity to reshape American society in their own image.

Today, as we work to undo the damage caused by cannabis prohibition, it’s important to remember the role that figures like FDR played in creating the laws and policies that still shape our world. And while we can’t change the past, we can learn from it—and use that knowledge to build a future where cannabis is understood, respected, and enjoyed for the many benefits it has to offer.

So, here’s to FDR—one of America’s greatest presidents, but also a man who made a mistake that we’re still working to correct. Let’s take this as a lesson that even the most powerful leaders are fallible, and that it’s up to all of us to keep pushing for progress, truth, and a better understanding of the world we live in.