The Great Hemp Conspiracy Part 4 | Cannabis in the Industrial Age: Public Manipulation & Propaganda

Cannabis in the Industrial Age: Part 4 – Public Manipulation & Propaganda

Part 4 of The Great Hemp Conspiracy

With Anslinger, DuPont, Hearst, and Mellon aligned, the next step was shaping public opinion. The general population had little awareness of cannabis or industrial hemp, and that ignorance became a powerful tool in crafting a narrative to criminalize the plant.

Hearst’s Yellow Journalism

William Randolph Hearst’s newspapers flooded the public with sensational stories linking cannabis to crime, violence, and moral decay. Headlines screamed warnings about 'Reefer Madness' and claimed that marijuana caused insanity and dangerous behavior. These stories rarely differentiated industrial hemp from psychoactive cannabis — creating confusion and fear among readers.

Anslinger’s Media Strategies

Harry Anslinger, as head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, leveraged media connections to amplify these stories. He provided interviews, public warnings, and carefully crafted narratives to position cannabis as a dire threat to society. Anslinger’s approach combined moral panic with legal authority, making it difficult for opposing voices to gain traction.

Propaganda in Action

The combination of industrial interests, government authority, and media manipulation created a perfect storm. Public perception shifted dramatically, and opposition to cannabis became politically risky. This paved the way for legislative action — culminating in the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937, which effectively outlawed cannabis cultivation in the United States, particularly industrial hemp, under the guise of public safety.

Sources & Citations

• Booth, Martin. Cannabis: A History. St. Martin’s Press, 2003.
• Grinspoon, Lester. Marijuana Reconsidered. Harvard University Press, 1971.
• Abel, Ernest L. Marijuana: The First Twelve Thousand Years. Springer, 1980.
• Russo, Ethan B. “History of Cannabis and Its Preparations in Saga, Science, and Sobriquet.” Chemistry & Biodiversity, vol. 4, 2007.

In Part 5, we’ll explore the legislative aftermath of the Marihuana Tax Act and its long-term impact on the hemp industry and American society.