THE REEFER MADNESS BOOK
Chapter 3
Old Time Radio Programs

THE REEFER MADNESS ERA:
THE VOICES OF EVIL

Who was Chief   F. J. O'Ferrall (the Narc)?
- Chief Narc, State of California:


ScienceSpeaks
We are indebted to F. J. O'Ferrall, inspector in charge, Division of Narcotic Enforcement, State of California, for the facts contained in the next few paragraphs.   Inasmuch as marijuana addiction in California is as bad as, or worse than in any other part of the country, and because Inspector O'Ferrall has been one of the outstanding leaders in the fight against the weed, he is eminently qualified to discuss the subject. . . "There appear to be three stages through which the user passes . . . "The third stage is the most progressed and dangerous: He really becomes a fiend with savage and tigerish tendencies; his sex desires are aroused, and some of the most horrible crimes result; he hears light and sees sound; to get away from it, he suddenly becomes violent and may kill. In fact, he has gone completely mad and may never recover.   No crime known may escape him,-and while he is running amuck, he may kill his loved ones, his dearest friends, or total strangers."   -- From Science Speaks to Young Men on Liquor, Tobacco, Narcotics and Marijuana," by George Thomason, M.D. (1938):



O'Ferrall (the Narc) FIRED FOR INSUBORDINATION AND INCOMPETENCE
O'Ferral

The following is part of an e-mail sent out via the museum mailing list:

Subject: O’Ferrall FIRED.

No wonder Tahoe DARE founder Russ Potts didn’t want to apologize for (the Reefer Madness era, chief of Narcotics) F.J. O’Ferrall’s actions, and probably doesn’t want to touch him with a ten-foot pole. According to the San Francisco Chronicle [Oct. 19, ’47), F.J. O’Ferrall chief of the (California) State Division of Narcotics, was fired for “inefficiency and insubordination.” This occurred after a 6 month investigation by the then Attorney General, Fred N. Howser.

Chief narc O’Ferrall, (many of you recall) was a contemporary of Harry J. Anslinger and seem to be in a competition with him over who could tell the most lies about Medical Marihuana. Take the following, for example:
“Persons under the influence of marijuana are much more dangerous than persons under the influence of opium. Opium is a depressant, while marijuana, which is the same thing as hashish, is an excitant… Example: An automobile tore across the Bay Bridge one night at 85 miles an hour. The driver, a potential killer, refused to stop for pursuing State patrolmen. At great risk to themselves, they overtook him, cornered the car, forced him out. His first words to them were: “Boys, I feel like flying!” … But law enforcement officials are not always lucky enough to apprehend a person under the influence of the drug before he has committed a crime, and some of the most ghastly on record have been committed by persons who are “high on the hay.” “Hey” or “tea” is what addicts call marijuana.” - San Francisco Chronicle [Mar 5, ‘45]
In the words of Steve Kubby;
“Young people are intelligent -- when they discover that they’ve been given phony information to scare them… they lose respect for authority. …It undermines parents and all adults when they address any other important issue.”

Hear the voice of JOE O'Ferrall (the Narc):


DOWNLOAD THE VOICE OF JOE O'Ferrall (the Narc)
Sound Clip taken from the OTR program:  
"Calling All Cars" - "The Skid Row Dope Ring" - First Aired - (Oct 2, 1937)
radio
JOE O'Ferrall (the Narc) - 410 KBbyte

[To download - Right Click - choose "Save Target As"]





WANT TO KNOW MORE:
=====================

Due to space / download time considerations, only selected materials are displayed.   If you would like to obtain more information, feel free to contact the museum.   All our material is available (at cost) on CD-Rom format.   Please contact: antique_andy@catholic.com



radio
BACK TO THE
Voices Of Evil