Marijuana Legislation Reform In South Carolina

In 1999 there were more arrests for marijuana crimes in the U.S. than for all violent crimes combined (FBI). With marijuana laws being so ardently enforced, one would assume these laws would be factually sound, and pertinent to today's world. Unfortunately this is not the case. Marijuana is illegal today due to outdated laws that were enacted due to racism and greed.

The first marijuana law was enacted in Jamestown, Virginia in 1619. Ironically, this law ordered all farmers to grow hemp, as the government wished to stimulate the cultivation of a plant that was proven to have many different purposes (Guither). Hemp plantations sprung up all over the young nation, providing materials for the production of cloth, rope, and canvas. Marijuana was accepted as part of American agriculture for its many uses for most of American history, but drastic change would occur around 1900.

Following the influx of Mexican immigrants after the Mexican revolution, the American west was flooded with a new, foreign culture. Unfortunately, in keeping with the typical American response to immigrant customs, prominent racists got to work undermining Mexicans of their civil rights. Legislation was quickly passed banning recreational usage of marijuana, which at the time was largely restricted to Mexican immigrants. Lawmakers justified the actions by claiming marijuana made Mexicans "crazy" (Guither). In the east, marijuana was a "problem" of both Latin Americans and African Americans. Anti-marijuana laws came about not because of possible negative health effects, but a common sentiment possessed by conservative, racist lawmakers of the time. Claiming marijuana was linked to minority violence against whites, bills received support in Congress despite any real factual evidence. The laws, however racist and unjust during their creation, still stand today as modern marijuana legislation.

In South Carolina, it is considered a misdemeanor offense to possess less than one ounce of marijuana. Consequences of possession are a $100-$200 fine and/or a 30 day jail sentence, which is typically suspended indefinitely by a judge (NORML). Considering the average marijuana cigarette, known as a "joint", contains approximately .75 grams of marijuana (Narcon), the typical recreational