Photos: Anti-marijuana propaganda -- a vintage guide to reefer madness


Beware!
pot poster from 1970.jpg
Here's a poster from the early 1970s, warning everyone to look out for "friendly strangers" handing out harmless-looking doobies that could lead to you going crazy, murdering someone and then committing suicide. And beware, these shady dealers might put the loco weed in your coffee or cigarettes without you knowing simply to get you hooked.

The Devil's Weed

wild_weed_poster_03.jpg
The cover of this pulp novel promises to "rip the veil of secrecy from marihuana smokers", whatever that means. The subject, Lila Leeds, was one of three people arrested in Hollywood in 1948 as part of the city's first big drug scandal. That said, you've got to think that it had the unintended consequences of actually turning people on to cannabis. After all, the blonde Lila Leeds was quite the knockout in her time.

Devil's Harvest

Devils_harvest_poster_01.jpg
In case you haven't noticed, linking marijuana directly to Satan himself is a running theme in anti-marijuana propaganda. This poster, from a 1942 film, promises tales of "degradation, vice, insanity and debauchery." The movie starred baby-faced June Doyle, who no doubt scared plenty of parents into locking their daughters up at night.

Continue to more of our vintage guide to anti-marijuana propaganda and reefer madness.


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11 comments
Juan_Leg
Juan_Leg topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

It just goes to show how stupid and easily influenced society 'was' not so long ago ...

DonkeyHotay
DonkeyHotay topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

MMIG = the Marijuana Mob


DonkeyHotay
DonkeyHotay topcommenter like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 2 Like

Any photo of a typical slack-jawed drooling Stoner habitué of Denver's Dankest Dispensaries is a much stronger Anti-marijuana message than those old posters above -- which actually portray dopers as normal by comparison.

hth 

kevin_hunt
kevin_hunt topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

Christian Thurstone = Reefer Boy

CoreyDonahue
CoreyDonahue topcommenter like.author.displayName like.author.displayName like.author.displayName 3 Like

Why show the vintage guide? Just link to all of Wastewords anti cannabis pro government propaganda. Oh, sorry you guys call that reporting.

Charles Gleason
Charles Gleason like.author.displayName 1 Like

Why show the vintage guide? Just link to all of Wastewords anti cannabis pro government propaganda. Oh, sorry you guys call that reporting.

Cognitive_Dissident
Cognitive_Dissident topcommenter like.author.displayName 1 Like

@Charles Gleason Feeling like a "soul mate" of Corey Donahue?

Charles Gleason
Charles Gleason like.author.displayName 1 Like

Why show the vintage guide? Just link to all of Wastewords anti cannabis pro government propaganda. Oh, sorry you guys call that reporting.

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