THE REEFER MADNESS ERA
THE DARK SIDE OF
OLD TIME RADIO
Welcome to the Dark Side of Old Time Radio and its use as a propaganda tool.

Did you know that Medical Marihuana turns its victims into cold blooded murderers, degenerate sex fiends or worse.   Don't believe us -- just read this encyclopedic definition:

"MARIJUANA ----- a subtle, crazing drug which is being surreptitiously sold in U.S. in the form of cigarettes. Narcotic officials named it 'The Assassin of Youth,' and state that it is as dangerous as a coiled rattlesnake. Its effects when smoked vary with different Individuals. It may make of its victim a philosopher, a joyous reveler, a mad insensate, or a fiendish murderer. Its purveyors whisper into the ears of Am. youth the wonders of a new cigarette with a real thrill, and without harmful effects. Students are lured to its use by promises of resultant keenness of mind, the easy solving of problems, an aid in exams. An addict was hanged in Baltimore in 1937 for a criminal assault on a ten-year-old girl. In Fla. a crazed youth killed his father, mother, two brothers, and a sister. In more than 30 cases of murder or degenerate sex crimes in 1937, marijuana proved to be a contributing cause." ---- New American Encyclopedia
It's an ugly but true fact that as the "Golden age of Radio" was just starting up, so was a massive hysteria campaign against the use of medical marihuana. Some people are now referring to it as the "snow job of the century," but most just call it the Reefer Madness Campaign. And Harry Anslinger (Americans first drug czar) made sure that radio would play a major role in it. In his own worlds:

"On radio and at major forums . . . I told the story of this evil weed. . . . our agents gave hundreds of lectures to parents, educators, social and civic leaders. In network broadcasts I reported on the growing list of crimes, including murder and rape. I described the nature of marijuana and its close kinship to hashish. I continued to hammer at the facts."
And hammer away, he did. It can only be guessed at how many live radio talks were given by his agents throughout the country. Or at their urging, at how many news programs carried horror stories about the weed of madness etc. So effective was the campaign that it soon took on a life of its own. Station managers (ever interested in their ratings) began going out of their way to invite the so-called experts on the subject; "to come and give a simple talk about the marihuana evil," etc. Program producers, (both network and syndicated), scriptwriters etc., also began fighting with each other over who could product the most outlandish (yet supposable true) account of some poor so and so, and what fiendish act he had committed while under its evil influence. And on and on it went . . . .

So come and journey back with us now, to the golden age of yesterday, to time when all families lived like "Ozzie and Harriet" and medical marihuana was known as the "Assassin of Youth".

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