The history of how the Marihuana Tax Act came to be the law of the land.

For more background on the history of, and reasons for the Marihuana Tax Act, see also these related documents:

The History of the Non-Medical Use of Drugs in the United States - a speech by Professor Charles Whitebread to the California Judge's Conference - This contains a short history of the marijuana laws.

The Forbidden Fruit and the Tree of Knowledge, by Professors Richard Bonnie and Charles Whitebread - This is a more extended history of the origins of the marijuana laws.

Unraveling an American Dilemma: The Demonization of Marihuana - by John C. Lupien -- This is the best exploration I have seen of the background of the supposed Anslinger-Hearst-DuPont conspiracy to outlaw marijuana in order to remove hemp as a possible competitor to their products.

Correspondence about the legal status of hemp 1930-1938

Marihuana Tax Act - The full text of the Marihuana Tax Act, as passed in 1937

Conference on Cannabis Sativa L. January 14, 1937 -- Room 81 Treasury Building, 10:30 AM

HEARINGS ON H.R. 6385

APRIL 27, 28, 29, 30, AND MAY 4, 1937

Statement of Clinton M. Hester, Assistant General Counsel for the Department of the Treasury, and S.G. Tipton, Office of General Counsel
Statement of H. J. Anslinger, Commissioner of Narcotics, Bureau of Narcotics, Department of the Treasury.
Additional statement of H. J. Anslinger (includes "Marihuana as a Developer of Criminals", by Eugene Stanley, district attorney, parish of Orleans, New Orleans, La.)
Answers to Marihuana Questionnaire by Dr. W. L. Treadway Division of Mental Hygiene Public Health Service
Additional Statement of Clinton M. Hester
Statement of Dr. James C. Munch, Pharmacologist, Temple University
Statement of Herbert J. Wollner, Consulting Chemist, Office of the Secretary of the Treasury
Letters to the committee
Statement of Dr. D. E. Buckingham, District Veterinarian, Washington, D.C.
Statement of Hon. Ralph F. Lozier, Carrollton, Mo, General Counsel of the National Institute of Oilseed Products
Further Statement of Clinton M. Hester, Assistant General Counsel, Treasury Department
Additional Statement of Hon. Ralph F. Lozier, Carrollton, Mo, General Counsel of the National Institute of Oilseed Products
Statement of Raymond G. Scarlett, Representing William G. Scarlett & Co., Baltimore, MD.
Statement of Joseph B. Hertzfield, Manager, Feed Department, TGhe Philadelphia Seed Co., Philadelphia, PA
Statement of Dr. William C. Woodward, Legislative Counsel, American Medical Association, Chicago, Ill.
Statement of Dr. S. L. Hilton, Representing the American Pharmaceutical Assocation.
Addenda -- Letter from Mrs. Hamilton Wright, special representative, Bureau of Narcotics

Hearing on H.R. 6906

July 12, 1937

Hearing Before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Finance United States Senate, Seventy-Fifth Congress, First Session on H.R.6906 - July 12, 1937

Title Page, Members Present, Full text of H.R. 6906 (under construction)
Statement of Clinton M. Hester, Assistant General Counsel, Treasury Department
Statement of H. J. Anslinger, Commissioner of Narcotics, Bureau of Narcotics of the Treasury Department
Statement of Matt Rens, Representing Rens Hemp Co., Brandon, Wis.
Statement of Mr. Moksnes, Superintendent of the Amhempco Corporation, Danville, Ill.
Statement of Royal C. Johnson, Attorney, Washington, D.C., Representing Chempsco, Inc. of Winona, Minn, and Hemp Chemical Corporation of Mankato, Minn.
Statement of O.C. Olman, Representing Juneau Fibre Co., Juneau, Wis.
Letter from the American Medical Association

Marihuana Conference

held December 5, 1938 in the UNITED STATES Bureau of Internal Revenue Building (Room 3003), Washington D. C., Called by the Bureau of Narcotics of the United States Treasury Department. (Complete document. Parts are listed below.)

Conferees Present.
Opening Statement by H. J. Anslinger, Commissoner of Narcotics
Statement of Dr. A. H. Wright, Professor of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin, relating to growth of Hemp, where seeds are produced, and Hemp is grown in United States.
Statement of Mr. Franklin. Chief of Drug Control, State of New York as to growth of Marihuana in that state.
Statement of Dr. B. B. Robinson, Bureau of Plant Industry, Department of Agriculture, relative to experiments as to World Production of Hemp, and quantity of Production in United States and Growth and Production of Cannabis, and Comparative Results obtained from Seed obtained from various Countries.
Statement of Dr. John R. Matchett, Chief Chemist, Bureau of Narcotics, as to Tests made from Seeds of Hemp in various Countries.
Statement of Mr. Henry Fuller, Consulting Chemist, as to his Experience in Growth of Cannabis.
Statement of Dr. James C. Munch, Professor of Pharmacology, Temple University, relating to Effects of Marihuana on Organs of Body:
Statement of Dr. S. Loewe, Pharmacologist, Cornell University Medical College, as to Bio-Assay of Marihuana
Statement of Dr. Walter Bromberg, Senior Psychiatrist, Department of Hospitals, New York City, relating to varying Effects of Marihuana in various Classes of Individuals.
Discussion on Pharmacological Phases of Marihuana Problem.
Statement of H. J. Wollner, Consulting Chemist, Treasury Department
Statement of Dr. A. H. Blatt, Howard University, Relative to Survey of Chemical Constituents of Cannabis Sativa.
Statement of Dr. John R. Matchett, Treasury Department, containing Report of Department of Attacks on Marihuana Problems.
Statement of Dr. Joseph Levine, Chemist, Bureau of Narcotics, as to Tests for Identification of Marihuana
Statement of Mr. Louis Benjamin, Chemist, Treasury Department, as to Tests.
Statement of Dr. James C. Munch, as to Tests.
Statement of Dr. H. M. Lancaster, Chief Dominion Analyst, Canadian Government, in relation to Tests.
Statement of Dr. James Couch, Pathological Division, Bureau of Animal Industry, Department of Agriculture