ipl-logo

Pop Culture Counterculture

770 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Negative impacts of marijuana on society

From Pop Culture to Pot Culture: How The Counterculture of The American "Stoner" Has Affected Society Introduction: In the fifth century Romans made desserts out of marijuana, and used it to ease the pain of childbirth. Just five decades ago John Lennon asked America to "Make Love, Not War," expressing the ideals that made the "Hippie." Only days ago New Jersey has began discussion of legalizing marijuana. Culture is always moving and evolving, being manipulated and changed. Though, as a current cultural movement the United States seems to be moving in a direction in which marijuana might not just hold legal status but a normal place in modern society. With those basic principles in mind, one is left to question the implications of foregoing …show more content…

Their satanic music is driven by marijuana, and marijuana smoking by white women makes them want to seek sexual relations with Negroes, entertainers, and others. It is a drug that causes insanity, criminality, and death -- the most violence-causing drug in the history of mankind" -Harry J. Anslinger Anslinger had already gained tremendous support in his cause. By 1931, just one year after being given his position, 29 states had already outlawed marijuana use. In 1936 "Reefer Madness," now a cult classic, was released as anti-marijuana propaganda. The people, now surrounded for several years by the prohibition frenzy, were in full support. In 1937 Anslinger stepped in front of the House Ways and Committee to talk about his new plan for reform. Though there was concern shown by several public officials, the Marihuana Tax Act (1937) passed. This act principally outlawed Marijuana. A beginning strike of protest was felt soon after, New York’s Mayor La Guardia sought to confirm validity in the information the public was being presented with. He formed a team of doctors and scientist, and in 1944 the report was finally published. The team was able to find no conclusive evidence that marijuana usage linked to any on the symptoms Anslinger had claimed. Though Marijuana wouldn't stay underground …show more content…

A few particularly inspired members of this group of outcasts pursued planning and creating live events, these rebels called themselves "Merry Pranksters." In January of 1966 the Pranksters attempted their biggest event ever, 20,000 people at a three day festival. By the end of the summer of 1966 they were packed 15,000 deep in Ashbury. Not long after the lifestyle had spread to communities all over the states, their modern ideals spread. They were Anti-War, particularly they protested the Vietnam War. Aside from that they urged attention to race and discrimination, along with imploring for help for the poor and need. In the year 1970 many major policy changes affected the societal opinion of Marijuana. First a repeal of minimum sentences for drug crimes was put in place. In the same year the Comprehensive Drug Abuse and Control Act went into effect. This allowed for a much needed way to differentiate between Narcotics and Marijuana. This clearly represents a change in attitude as a

Show More
Related
776 Words | 4 Pages

While the spread of marijuana was going through Mexico, the United States began taking in the drug near the beginning of the twentieth century. One issue that caused the spread of marijuana domestically, was the influence that Mexico gained from the press’ stories and report on marijuana and the different kinds mentioned in chapter eight, such as “locoweed, loco poison, and weed of bughouse propensities” (214). As the stories of weed began to scatter into the United States, newspapers picked up on it and began to say marijuana “effects a smoker making them wilder than a wild beast” (215). The more the ideas and culture of marijuana put forth by the Mexican and United States press, eventually helped lead to the prohibition in Mexico in 1920. This prohibition in 1920 helped Mexico portray a public victory against marijuana during what became a first structural “War on Drugs” by Mexican government and

Read More
1099 Words | 5 Pages

White laborers banded together and formed groups such as Key Men of America, and American Coalition whose goal was to Keep America American, so leaders of these groups believed that Mexican immigration and marijuana abuse was closely connected and newspaper articles began to circulate stating that marijuana made users become sexually excited and violently insane. Moreover, the first commissioner of the newly formed Federal Bureau of Narcotics (FBN), Harry Anslinger, saw marijuana use as a way to gain national attention. Congressional committees heard testimony from Anslinger, who relied on extraordinary tales from movies, which depicted young people committing horrendous acts under the influence of marijuana. The result was the Marijuana Tax Act of 1937, which did not outlaw the marijuana but required a hefty tax to be collected on its manufacturing and sale of the drug. Every time marijuana was sold, the seller had to pay a tax of one-hundred-dollars pe3r ounce for a transfer stamp, failure to possess the stamps that were rarely issued was a federal

Read More
278 Words | 2 Pages

The first federally passed law on marijuana was the, Marijuana Tax Act of 1937. This made it illegal to possess any amount of marijuana without a special stamp from the treasury department. The passing of this law was created from the widespread panic that was created from Anslingers propaganda. The funny thing about this tax act, was one could obtain marijuana legally if they had a stamp from the treasury department, however, what the treasury department did not tell everyone was that they would not give out any stamps after it was passed. This was signed into law by President Roosevelt.

Read More
1023 Words | 5 Pages

The truth about marijuana is that it should be legalized, and this is the stance that the documentary, “The Union: The Business Behind Getting High” is taking. The film uses great examples of ethos, pathos, and logos in an effective and persuasive way. “The Union: The Business Behind Getting High” details the hypocrisy in keeping marijuana illegal while having tobacco, a far more dangerous drug, legal, the reasons behind marijuana being illegal flipping to the complete opposite of its origin as an illegal substance, how marijuana is one of the most versatile and healthy herbs on the planet and how it is inexpensive compared to its substitutes, and how so much money is being put into a war against marijuana, even though it is an unwinnable

Read More
499 Words | 2 Pages

Response Four In his article, Drugs, Gore Vidal argues that there is a solution to the drug epidemic in America: simply make all drugs legal and sell them at cost. Gore has a particularly compelling argument, and much of that has to due with the rhetorical strategies and techniques he uses. Gore starts his argument off by saying that marijuana is neither addictive or dangerous, and definitely not as dangerous cocaine and heroin. While this article was written in 1970, many Americans feel this way in 2016— that marijuana is not as dangerous as other drugs. Gore, in a way, is aware of his audience, and accommodates them.

Read More
901 Words | 4 Pages

In the early 1920s, the views on alcohol in America had two very different standpoints. On one side, there were the people who believed that alcohol was a good contribution to society. These people were known as Modernists. On the other side, there were the people known as traditionalists who thought alcohol was evil and corrupt. These two sides differ in opinions which led to the debate against the drys and the wets.

Read More
1600 Words | 7 Pages

Prohibition of the 1920s and the Rise of the Mobsters The 1920s was a time of major social change in the United States. The social changes during this period were reflected in the laws and regulations that were brought into play at this time. One of the biggest examples would be prohibition. The 18th amendment to the constitution, known as the Volstead of Minnesota, was created to eliminate the use of alcohol.

Read More
1748 Words | 7 Pages

In the 1960’s marijuana use had no outstanding effects on the United States people but in today's society the use of marijuana had become a huge epidemic over the past years. Even though it has been scientifically proven that marijuana can help seizures, Crohn’s, and effects of cancer, yet many people in today's society still believe that it has no use. In the United States 45 percent of drug arrest in 2013 were due to marijuana, but at Woodstock in 1969 when there was a controversial “Drug War” no one was arrested for marijuana (Merino par. 3). The use of marijuana is more strict in the United States now then it was in

Read More
1340 Words | 6 Pages

With the pressure to legalize marijuana rise for government officials, protesters argue that decriminalizing marijuana would help society and benefit the people living in the Unites States. In states that have already legalized marijuana, it has been documented and proven that marijuana usage has been higher than before legalization, even if the consequences were very severe (“Marijuana Decriminalization”). If people are so highly dedicated to continuingcontinue using marijuana, even with their lives and future at stake, what could stop them? Marijuana has been proven to be a “gateway” drug, therefore, if marijuana were to be legalized, eventually other harmful substances could be legalized as well causing many deaths and various forms of

Read More
734 Words | 3 Pages

Back in the early twentieth century, marijuana was mainly used for medical purposes in the US. Now, both it 's recreational and medical use is increasingly being consumed by the population and the tendency is to continue increasing. Much has been said about the use of marijuana as a solution to different health problems, and although not everything that is said is true, it cannot be ignored that marijuana can help in the treatment of some cases of adult patients. CNN’s chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, was opposed to the medicinal use of cannabis. Based on his knowledge as a neurologist, he was convinced that the drug was dangerous and had dismissed its supposed therapeutic benefits.

Read More
1125 Words | 5 Pages

Nonconformists have always had a tendency to coalesce together, especially in times of great social strife, when strict hierarchical systems are ubiquitous. In America, this reflected in a wave of countercultural movements that only truly escalated at the turn of the century, ultimately resulting in a nation more tolerant of all people, including immigrants such as myself. Three major movements, paradigmatic in their representation of society’s fringe, served as the initial harbingers of social and political reform. The Bohemians, first to see through the Gilded Age. The Beat Generation, ever unnerved by the unending conformity which penetrated ‘50s America.

Read More
1326 Words | 6 Pages

As a nation we have come to point where we must take a unified stand on the issue of marijuana. Since 1937 the drug has been deemed illegal by the U.S. government but over the best decade, people have been pushing for the decriminalization of the cannabis plant. As a non drug user, i have researched the internet in search of unbiased information regarding the drugs health, economic, and crime influences on society. The fruits of my labor have brought me to the undisputable conclusion that our continued restriction on possession and use of the drug not only violates the liberties of U.S. citizens, but it also is costing Americans Billions of dollars, and something, our lives.

Read More
1461 Words | 6 Pages

Marijuana, morphine, heroin, and cocaine continued to be used when the Prohibition was over in 1933. In 1937, 46 states decided to ban the use of marijuana for the reason that it was dangerous and a potential drug for addiction. Fast forward 60 years, states

Read More
1693 Words | 7 Pages

In the past decade, a number of movements to legalize the use of marijuana has been gaining momentum. According to the 2016 Gallup survey, a record high 60% of Americans say that marijuana should be legalized and this figure marks a 9% increase compared to 2014. Support for legalizing marijuana was 31% in 2000, 50% in 2016 before reaching 60% last year. This shows that despite government efforts to eliminate its use, marijuana is becoming more popular. It is clear that

Read More
2150 Words | 9 Pages

Jean Paul Balzac Ms. Seijo English 10 4 February 2014 Marijuana In 1919, alcohol was made illegal across the United States with the goal to better people’s lives and make society safer. During the fourteen years that the prohibition lasted, crime rate nearly doubled, unemployment rose, and tax revenue decreased. Eventually the ban on alcohol was repealed because of its negative impact on the economy and society. Now fast forward to the year 2015, where a common substance known as marijuana is illegal.

Read More

More about Pop Culture Counterculture

Open Document