I had not realized that April 20 was adopted as as the day of celebrating cannabis about 35 years ago. The January 30, 1968 issue of National Review was published more than 20 years before that time. Joseph Papin illustrated two articles that addressed whether marijuana should be legalized. (“Should We Legalize Pot?” National Review, January 30, 1968) He had the printing plates for two of the illustrations – the first is from “The Great Marijuana Problem” by Antoni Gollan and (National Review, January 30, 1968):
“The Great Marijuana Problem” by Antoni Gollan (National Review, January 30, 1968) argued that the “laws on the books today banning the sale or use of marijuana are unreasonably harsh [and] he would like to see them repealed or rewritten.” Antoni Gollan wrote:
“How do we justify the imprisonment of people who have done things of which one may disapprove, but which have not disturbed others or harmed themselves? …
“California’s law, designated Section 11530 of the state’s Health and Safety Code, is rather typical. It treats cannabis as an addictive, narcotic drug. Possession is a felony, along with armed robbery, forcible rape, manslaughter. A first offender may receive a maximum sentence of ten years; a second offender, twenty years; a third offender, life. A maximum sentence of life imprisonment is prescribed for anyone selling marijuana in California, transporting it into the state – or giving away a marijuana cigarette. …
“Does life imprisonment, we might ask ourselves at some future point, constitute cruel and unusual punishment for the recreational use of a substance described by San Francisco General Hospital’s Dr. Smith as having ‘the abuse potential of a cocktail’?”
The second printing plate is from “The Wild Grass Chase” by Ferdinand Mount (National Review, January 30, 1968):
“The Wild Grass Chase” by Ferdinand Mount (National Review, January 30, 1968) counters the first article:
“Mr. Mount disagrees. More research is needed, he says, before we can tell for a fact how dangerous marijuana-smoking is. He’s for keeping it illegal.”
Mount writes, “The argument that marijuana is no worse and its effects than alcohol (which in any case I do not think there is yet sufficient evidence to warrant fully) hardly justifies the legalization of marijuana grounds. And it would only justify legalization on the ground that laws must operate with the consent of the governed if the marijuana laws approached the unpopularity of Prohibition. Of course as Mr. Gollan adumbrates, there could come a time when that has happened. But that time is not yet.”
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